For many who spent the last couple of years battling loneliness, the third year of the pandemic comes with a renewed quest for love and companionship.
If you enjoy exercise and the outdoors, are friendly, sociable and vaccinated, Rose wants to meet you.
“I’m not sure what all this is going to result in, but you don’t know unless you try,†the Saskatoon resident told Â鶹´«Ã½.
She’s ready to search for love again after a terrible car crash three and a half years ago claimed the life of her husband. Her recovery from her own injuries and grief coincided with the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I had lost my soulmate,†she said. “So not only did I lose my husband, but then all of a sudden, COVID hits. So that really magnified my loneliness.â€
The pandemic emphasized to her that she needed a purpose and someone to join her on that path. But it hasn’t been easy getting back out there.
“Isolation deters people from meeting one another,†she said.
After two years of isolation and social distancing, singles are emerging in this third year of the pandemic with a sense of clarity.
Many are engaging in “intentional dating†over casual connections. After years of fear and uncertainty, it seems commitment is key.
Carolyn Klassen, a relationship therapist, told Â鶹´«Ã½ that during the portions of the pandemic when Canadians were encouraged to remain indoors as much as possible, “some singles were utterly, achingly alone.â€
But she added that this time allowed people to do some reflecting and notice their values and what’s important to them.
“I see this renewed energy to pursue relationships, and not just surface acquaintances, but to actually develop relationships with people we know that will be with us during future times of adversity,†Klassen said.
“We are wired for connection. We need each other.â€
It can also be lonely to be in a relationship where the goals are very different, or the connection feels lacking, she said, so she is seeing people increasingly searching for long-term relationships.
“Rightly or wrongly, we’re in a coupled up world, so often singles feel really alone,†she said.
A November survey from online dating service Match.com echoed this search for the long term, with 62 per cent of respondents wanting more meaningful, committed relationships. Only 11 per cent said they would rather date casually.
Jenna, who lives in Regina, Sask., has been online dating for 15 years. She says COVID-19 made her realize that fleeting connections weren’t what she was looking for.
“During the pandemic, I personally kinda hit a point where I was like, I don’t want to play around anymore,†Jenna said. “I wanted to look for something real, and I kinda made a decision that I wanted to do it in a different way.â€
And Winnipeg matchmaker Lianne Tregobov is busier than ever.
“Today my phone has not stopped ringing,†she said, adding that as restrictions ease, more people are willing to meet in person again.
“But people are still cautious. They don’t want to let strangers into their bubble unless they have a history — what have they been doing for the last week, where have they gone, are they vaccinated?†she pointed out.
COVID-19 has changed perspectives and priorities. Still, it seems more singles want to navigate this pandemic as a pair.
Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm Wednesday night, causing widespread destruction and immobilizing critical infrastructure. The extent of the damage is not yet known.
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Two Orange County women are speaking out after they say they were kicked off of a Spirit Airlines flight because of what they were wearing.
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Taylor Swift has made a significant donation toward helping those affected by hurricanes Milton and Helene.
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Dozens of cars were pulled out of the Detroit River in west Windsor on Tuesday, causing many questions for Windsorites.
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During the campaign, BC Conservative Leader John Rustad has repeatedly said people are "dying on the streets" in the province – and on Tuesday he claimed to have witnessed that very thing in downtown Vancouver while he was on his way to the leaders' debate.
A bill restricting the sale of long-bladed weapons was introduced in Manitoba Wednesday by Justice Minister Matt Wiebe.
American actor and environmental activist Mark Ruffalo is weighing in on British Columbia politics, lauding the B.C. Green Party's stance on fossil fuels ahead of the Oct. 19 election.
A former chief of staff to a Liberal public safety minister has denied suggestions she worked to stall approval of a spy service warrant in early 2021 because it directly touched the operations of the Trudeau government.
Saskatchewan's highest court has granted Dillon Whitehawk an appeal and a new trial has been ordered for the 2019 deaths of Jordan Denton and Keenan Toto.
Hurricane Milton barrelled into the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday after ploughing across Florida as a Category 3 storm, pounding cities with ferocious winds and rain, whipping up a barrage of tornadoes and causing an unknown numbers of deaths. It compounded the misery wrought by Helene while sparing Tampa a direct hit.
Israel's defence minister warned on Wednesday that his country's retaliation for a recent Iranian missile attack will be "lethal" and "surprising," while the Israeli military pushed ahead with a large-scale operation in northern Gaza and a ground offensive in Lebanon against Hezbollah militants.
A Turkish Airlines jetliner headed from Seattle to Istanbul made an emergency landing in New York on Wednesday after the captain died on board, an airline official said.
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Sheriff's deputies in Washington's Kitsap County frequently get calls about animals -- loose livestock, problem dogs. But the 911 call they received recently from a woman being hounded by dozens of raccoons swarming her home near Poulsbo stood out.
Ratan Tata, a former chairman of Indian conglomerate Tata Sons hailed as a visionary business leader, died at a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday night. He was 86.
A former chief of staff to a Liberal public safety minister has denied suggestions she worked to stall approval of a spy service warrant in early 2021 because it directly touched the operations of the Trudeau government.
Canada is adding another $15 million to its humanitarian aid package for Lebanon after an escalation in the conflict between Israel and the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah.
The leader of the Bloc Quebecois says his party 'might play a role' in helping the Liberals get House of Commons business rolling again — after days of Conservative-led debate on a privilege matter — but that his assistance would come at a cost.
COVID-19 could be a powerful risk factor for heart attacks and strokes for as long as three years after an infection, a large new study suggests.
The Ontario Ministry of Health says four people have been sickened after consuming beef tongue believed to be contaminated with listeria.
One in eight women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in their lifetimes, according to the American Cancer Society. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for women in the United States, with 42,000 women dying every year from this cancer.
As if the largest bug to ever live – a monster nearly nine feet long with as many as 64 legs – wasn’t terrifying enough, scientists could only just imagine what the extinct beast’s head looked like.
A severe solar storm is headed to Earth that could stress power grids even more as the U.S. deals with major back-to-back hurricanes, space weather forecasters said Wednesday.
The research that won Geoffrey Hinton a Nobel Prize for physics was the product of plenty of work carried out before artificial intelligence was the buzzword it is today.
Taylor Swift has made a significant donation toward helping those affected by hurricanes Milton and Helene.
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The theme of the next Met Gala and its celebrity chairs have been announced: Pharrell Williams, Lewis Hamilton, Colman Domingo, A$AP Rocky and LeBron James will help the museum launch an exhibit examining Black style in menswear over the centuries.
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A new report says growth in average asking rents across Canada last month slowed to the lowest rate since October 2021, at 2.1 per cent year-over-year.
Jeff Warner from Aidie Creek Gardens in the northern Ontario community of Englehart has a passion for growing big pumpkins and his effort is paying off in more ways than one.
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Buffalo Sabres centre Dylan Cozens had just finished a gruelling summer off-ice session when he and trainer Ben McPherson drove out into the Yukon wilderness to go fishing.
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Sam Montembeault made 47 saves, Cole Caufield scored the game-winning goal and the Montreal Canadiens opened the NHL season with a 1-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday at the Bell Centre.
Dozens of cars were pulled out of the Detroit River in west Windsor on Tuesday, causing many questions for Windsorites.
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Jeff Warner from Aidie Creek Gardens in the northern Ontario community of Englehart has a passion for growing big pumpkins and his effort is paying off in more ways than one.
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Have you ever seen videos of hovercrafts online or on TV and thought, 'Wow, I wish I could ride one of those.' One Alberta man did, and then built his own.
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Videos of a meteor streaking across the skies of southern Ontario have surfaced and small bits of the outer space rock may have made it to land, one astronomy professor says.
A unique form of clouds made an appearance over the skies of Ottawa on Sunday evening.
Bernie Hicks, known as the ‘Batman of Amherst,’ always wanted to sit in a Batmobile until a kind stranger made it happen.
Bubi’s Awesome Eats, located on University Ave West took to social media to announce the closure on Friday.
Weeneebayko Area Health Authority and the Government of Ontario have awarded a $1.8 billion fixed-price contract to design, build and finance a new Far North hospital.
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The parents of a teen who died of a suspected drug overdose are calling on the government to improve addiction and mental health care.
On the heels of a commanding performance at the only televised leaders’ debate of the 2024 provincial election, the leader of the BC Green Party was scheduled to speak at a lively rally after making a public safety announcement in downtown Vancouver, but lost her voice and missed it at the last minute.
Royal LePage’s latest housing market forecast predicts a real estate rebound that will see Canada’s “sluggish†markets in recovery mode by spring following a third straight interest rate cut.
William Osler Health System is apologizing for an incident in which an elderly Sikh patient’s facial hair was shaved 'without consent and without medical necessity' by staff at Brampton Civic Hospital.
The Category 2 storm has left 1.6 million homes and businesses without power in Florida as Milton pummels through the state.
As hurricane Milton slams into Florida, many Canadians living in the storm's path are preparing to evacuate or hunker down.
Calgary police say more charges are expected against a man accused of intentionally starting a fire that caused an explosion in northeast Calgary over the weekend.
One person is dead following a motor-vehicle collision in Calgary's southwest on Wednesday evening.
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Halloween is right around the corner, but residents of a South Kanata community say they've been living in what feels like a horror movie for over a month.
Environment Canada's forecast calls for sunshine Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with temperatures ranging from 18 C on Friday to 14 C on Saturday and 11 C on Sunday. There is a slight chance of rain on Thanksgiving Monday.
Although he acknowledges that there is still a lot of work to be done in mental health, Social Services Minister Lionel Carmant is confident that he has succeeded in reversing the trend.
Three young people aged 17, 19 and 20 were arrested after shots were fired late on Tuesday near Old Montreal.
Sam Montembeault made 47 saves, Cole Caufield scored the game-winning goal and the Montreal Canadiens opened the NHL season with a 1-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday at the Bell Centre.
Residents of communities like Allard say there are traffic snarls on local roads every morning, leading to dangerous driving.
On Wednesday, Edmonton police posted video of a large encampment found excavated under the High Level Bridge in August.
Edmontonians are being asked to cast their ballot for the local bird they think best represents our city.
A 14-year-old girl has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old boy near a Halifax mall earlier this year.
Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm Wednesday night, causing widespread destruction and immobilizing critical infrastructure. The extent of the damage is not yet known.
A man and woman from British Columbia died in a two-vehicle crash in Baddeck Inlet, N.S., on Monday evening.
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Mason Appleton had a goal and two assists as the Winnipeg Jets trounced the Edmonton Oilers 6-0 in the season-opener for both teams Wednesday.
A bill restricting the sale of long-bladed weapons was introduced in Manitoba Wednesday by Justice Minister Matt Wiebe.
A Saskatchewan Party candidate publicly apologized on Wednesday after it was revealed that he used a racial slur in caucus offices a year and a half ago.
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Saskatchewan RCMP say a larger police presence in Whitewood is related to a report of robbery with a firearm.
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Lithium batteries, found in everything from cellphones to electric vehicles, have become a part of our daily lives – but recent fires have prompted concerns about their use.
A Saskatchewan Party candidate publicly apologized on Wednesday after it was revealed that he used a racial slur in caucus offices a year and a half ago.
Healthcare workers rallied outside St. Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon Wednesday, advocating for better conditions in emergency rooms.
Milton is shaping up to be a monster of a storm, expected to strike Florida as a Category 3 hurricane, just weeks after Hurricane Helene hit the region.
The Category 2 storm has left 1.6 million homes and businesses without power in Florida as Milton pummels through the state.
Hundreds of thousands of vehicles are being recalled in Canada due to a steering-related issue that could increase a driver's risk of crash.
For the last few weeks, fighter jets have been spotted soaring over Greece’s Peloponnese peninsula, part of the ‘Ramstein Flag 24’ that includes military personnel from 22 Wing/Canadian Forces Base North Bay.
Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm Wednesday night, causing widespread destruction and immobilizing critical infrastructure. The extent of the damage is not yet known.
This latest crash was the second fatal and third serious accident at this intersection in the past couple of months - when asked, locals said that the intersection is 'kind of blind.'
The London Knights were in Owen Sound Wednesday with some reinforcements back in the lineup.
A Barrie man accused of assaulting a police officer in late September, which then became the topic of conversation in parliament last week, has been denied bail.
Provincial police are investigating reports of an armed robbery in Amaranth Township that sent one person to the hospital in critical condition.
Barrie and District Christmas Cheer celebrates 50 years of giving the gift of Christmas.
Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm Wednesday night, causing widespread destruction and immobilizing critical infrastructure. The extent of the damage is not yet known.
Brett Iler pleaded not guilty to six charges Wednesday as a result of a double fatal collision in the 2022 RetroFest Classic Car Cruise.
Dozens of cars were pulled out of the Detroit River in west Windsor on Tuesday, causing many questions for Windsorites.
Abbas Motalebizadeh is a PhD candidate at the University of Victoria’s Mechanical Engineering Department and on Wednesday he was at the Victoria International Marina to test the Inner Harbour for microplastics.
During the campaign, BC Conservative Leader John Rustad has repeatedly said people are "dying on the streets" in the province – and on Tuesday he claimed to have witnessed that very thing in downtown Vancouver while he was on his way to the leaders' debate.
American actor and environmental activist Mark Ruffalo is weighing in on British Columbia politics, lauding the B.C. Green Party's stance on fossil fuels ahead of the Oct. 19 election.
Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.
A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.
Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.
Thousands more Lethbridge residents will soon be without a family doctor.
Alberta's police watchdog says the Medicine Hat police officers who were involved in an in-custody death in August 2023 acted reasonably and with appropriate force in dealing with a suspect armed with a machete.
Charges have been laid against a 44-year-old man following a traffic stop in Brocket, Piikani Nation RCMP said Tuesday.
An annual international mining conference is underway in Greater Sudbury, Ont., marking the first time the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Conference of Mining Regions and Cities has been held in North America.
Jeff Warner from Aidie Creek Gardens in the northern Ontario community of Englehart has a passion for growing big pumpkins and his effort is paying off in more ways than one.
A woman in Greater Sudbury, Ont., said "It doesn't get more Canadian than this" when she spotted a black bear dumpster diving at a Tim Hortons last month.
A Conservative MP from Newfoundland and Labrador says some small towns in his rural riding are overrun with crime, but police say they haven't received reports to that effect.
As millions in federal funding flow into a Labrador group whose claims of Inuit identity have been rejected by Indigenous organizations across Canada, a national Inuit leader worries the Liberal government is putting the rights of Indigenous Peoples at risk.
He may not have logged the fastest time or even gone the full distance, but residents of a Newfoundland town agree the goat who unexpectedly joined the local weekend half marathon was the event's undisputed champion.
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