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The owner of Toronto's popular Adamson Barbecue restaurant is kicking up COVID-related controversy once again this week in what might be his boldest (and riskiest) move to date: Opening up for indoor dining while the region is under lockdown. "Hello Adamson Barbecue fans!" said outspoken restaurateur Adam Skelly in a video posted to his brand's Instagram account Monday evening. "I'm coming on here today to let you guys know that our Etobicoke location, tomorrow that's Tuesd...Continue reading

With lockdown measures now fully in place for Toronto and Peel under Ontario's new colour-coded restriction framework, condo boards are once again getting heavy handed with their visitor policies. "Dear Owners and Residents," reads a letter distributed to all units in one downtown Toronto Standard Condominum Corporation (TSCC) tower. "At 3:30 p.m. on Friday, November 20, 2020, the Premier and senior cabinet ministers held a press conference where they announced that Toronto (...Continue reading

For the third time in a handful of months, a crane has collapsed at a Toronto construction site. The culprit of the accident this time is not unknown, but was apparently an unanticipated sinkhole at a site for work on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT at Mount Pleasant and Eglinton Ave. East and no, not the glowing green Ninja Turtles sinkhole from last week, though that would have made for a cooler story. @Toronto_Fire Technical Operations crews on scene at Mt Pleasant and Eglint...Continue reading

Lennox & Addington Dark Sky Viewing Area is just two and a half hours away from the heaps of light pollution we’re accustomed to in the city and offers up some of the darkest skies for your next astronomical adventure. The viewing area is one of only six Dark-Sky Preserves in Ontario but also the most southerly spot for stargazing in the province. Image Courtesy of @mrichards12/Instagram. ... Despite this, you’ll be able to find respite from light pollution that’s typically experienced much further north with lots of stars and views of the Milky Way. Astronomy expert, accomplished stargazing author, and long-time editor of Sky News Magazine Terence Dickinson developed the site after discovering the area’s unimpeded views of the night sky around 2010. Image Courtesy of @jasonwildephotography/Instagram. Today, the spot includes a large concrete pad where both professional stargazers and first-time amateurs can set up cameras or telescopes, as well as a surrounding grass area with benches. Physical distancing circles have also been installed on the viewing platform and the grass area to help everyone stay safe during their sky-watching experience. Image Courtesy of @dan_fleury_photos/Instagram. The spaced-out circles are each large enough for two lawn chairs (be sure to bring your own) as long as visitors within the circle are from the same household. The circles on the concrete even have a reflective coating for extra visibility during overnight hours. Casual stargazers without telescopes or cameras are asked to use the circles on the grassy areas to allow for more room for tripods on the concrete platform. Image Courtesy of @ericdvds/Instagram. For help determining upcoming optimal stargazing conditions, you can check out this sky forecast that was created by a group of astronomers. The viewing area is located off County Road 41 and is open year-round from dusk until dawn every day. No registration or admission fee required. Just keep in mind that the restroom facilities will currently be closed. Make sure to respect the rules of the area during your visit. Adhere to social distancing measures by only visiting with members of your household and pick up your trash to leave the area just as beautiful as you found it.

Canada is about to get its first-ever fleet of autonomous grocery delivery vehicles courtesy of Loblaw Companies Ltd. and a California-based AI company that specializes in "middle mile" logistics. Gatik, which has been "redefining B2B short-haul logistics" in Palo Alto since 2017, announced on Monday that it had inked a multi-year partnership with Canada's largest food retailer. The deal will see what Gatik describes as "a fleet of autonomous delivery vehicles" deployed in To...ronto beginning in January of 2021. Excited to announce a $25 million Series A funding round and new partnership with @loblawco. The round was co-led by @WittingtonVC and @iendeavors with participation from @FirstMoveCap, @IntactInsurance, @ThisIsDynamo, @Fontinalis_FP and @angelpad.https://t.co/KHVxWxUv5M pic.twitter.com/rwU66VgvcV Gatik (@Gatik_AI) November 23, 2020 Now before you go celebrating the impending arrival of mobile robo-grocers, you should note that these vehicles won't be rolling up to any homes. Rather, they'll transport goods from a Loblaw distribution centre to retail locations across the GTA, where shoppers can unknowingly buy stuff that's been transported by AI-enabled trucks. Five autonomous vehicles in total will run seven days a week, 12 hours a day, along five routes operating on public roads with fixed pick-up and drop-off locations. A human "safety driver" will be onboard to supervise. Apparently, they won't be the first of their kind to do this, either: Gatik says it just successfully completed "a 10-month on-road pilot in Toronto" with one of its trucks. BREAKING: Five autonomous trucks will travel on public roads from @LoblawCo 's automated picking facility to retail locations across the Greater Toronto Area. Read our exclusive interview w/ @Gatik_AI CEO @gautam_narang #AutonomousDeliveries #MiddleMile https://t.co/lJLDQBxYro Electric Autonomy Canada (@ElectricAutonmy) November 23, 2020 "Gatik will provide Loblaw with a safe, reliable, contactless delivery solution for transporting multi-temperature goods from its automated picking facility to retail locations across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)," reads a release issued by the tech company on Monday. "This deployment marks the first autonomous delivery fleet in Canada." Gatik, which just secured another $25 million in Series A funding, already delivers groceries for Walmart in the U.S. and says it has "completed more than 30,000 revenue-generating autonomous orders for multiple customers across North America." Next up, Toronto grocery stores... and then maybe even grocery store customers at home sweet home.

A Toronto bar that first opened its doors in 1976 and was the setting for lots of music videos is now closing permanently. The Boat in Kensington Market was known for its kitschy portholes, theme parties and events of all stripes from rock shows by big name acts to amateur open mic nights and birthday parties. View this post on Instagram... A post shared by The Boat (@theboatkensington) "We did reopen from end of August 2020 to September 2020 and hosted a handful of shows and events, but ultimately, our space and what we are known for...large dance parties, large live music shows et cetera for over 100 people, really was not compatible with the COVID environment," says owner Jimmy Lam. "Our landlord has been amazing though and we are beyond sad to leave. For the future, we would love to be able to start a new venue. But would have to see if it's in store for us." When it first opened, the location was initially a Portuguese seafood restaurant and then became a Cantonese karaoke bar before its transformation in the mid-2000s into a popular music venue. "Our last official day was actually Sept. 30, 2020, end of lease. We were hoping to one day be able to go back again but decided to let it go permanently this week as there doesn't seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel with the pandemic right now." Lots of people have been posting to social media about the loss, and The Boat has been sharing many of the shout-outs to their Instagram story. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tyler Johnston (@night.moves) "I've been putting on events and DJing at @theboatkensington almost every weekend for 12 years. I cut my teeth as a promoter and event coordinator here. I've seen so many amazing bands play here. I grew relationships and friendships here that will last a lifetime," wrote local DJ Tyler Johnston in a passionate farewell post on Instagram. "I don't know what to say. This one hits really close to home for me. This was my home away from home. And like so many of my city's venues and bars it's now gone. Our city is dying and it makes me extremely sad. I'm heartbroken. I hope one day we can dance with each other again." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Andycapp (@thirdatlantic) Sadly Johnston is far from the only performer publicly mourning the loss of the venue, and The Boat is far from the only business that has had to close during the pandemic in the hard-hit neighbourhood of Kensington. Recently a popular Muay Thai studio and dance venue closed, as well as a Caribbean restaurant.

The family-run Cantonese food joint River Tai has closed for good. After 27 years of tasty egg rolls and ridiculously affordable lunch specials, the restaurant on Harbord shuttered its doors sometime last month. Opened in 1993, the restaurant was "the fabric of Harbord Street," says Neil Wright, Chair of the Harbord Street BIA and broker with the Toronto Real Estate Board.... "[Harbord] was not always about high end restaurants and retail businesses. These were community people." River Tai has closed after 27 years on Harbord Street. Photo by Siddig Zeidan. Known for a menu of homey Cantonese and Szechuan food, River Tai has long been a staple for nearby U of T students looking for filling noodles and fried rice on a budget. The kindness of the endearing elderly couple that ran the business was an especially memorable part of eating at the neighbourhood restaurant. The owners of River Tai could not be reached for comment. The interior of the restaurant has been emptied, and according to Wright the property at 92 Harbord Street was recently bought out. It's unclear whether River Tai's lease was extended under its new ownership, or what will replace it. "[The family] were incredibly hardworking people," says Wright. "We all miss them... They were anchored here in the community, and the community loved them being here."

Any kid who spent time in Toronto during the 1970s, 80s and 90s surely fostered blissful, orange-soaked memories at Children's Village in Ontario Place. Long before helicopter parenting and irresistible digital toys sapped the life out of growing up, it was a place to go and have real fun - skinned knees, rope-burnt hands and purple bruises were all worn with pride. A waterpark was a prime attraction at Ontario Place. Photo via Toronto Archives...Continue reading

Black Friday deals in Toronto for 2020 are all about deliveries and curbside pick-ups this year. With malls and non-essential retail stores closed citywide, there's no better reason to stay home (you don't want to miss your delivery) when some of the best deals can be found online. Here are some Black Friday deals in Toronto you get online or through curbside pick-up in 2020. Peace Collective... The creators of the Toronto Vs. Everybody brand are running big discounts sitewide for their Peace Week sale event, with savings of up to 60% off starting November 23. They're doing free shipping on orders over $100, while raising funds for CAMH and UNHCR. Thirty Six Knots Time to upgrade your rug with this store's weeklong Black Friday Carpet Sale. Online deals are applicable to in-stock rugs and go up to 60% starting November 27. Henry's The Winter Sales Event at this Church Street camera shop includes free shipping, with no minimum purchase, and up to $1,000 off a bunch of Nikon cameras and lenses when you shop online. Duer Get 15% to 50% off everything until next week when you shop Duer's high-performance pants for their Black Friday sale. It's their biggest sale of the year, so time to get some denim delivered to your door. 18 Waits Menswear store 18 Waits is offering 30% off their shirts for Black Friday with delivery plus pick-ups from their West Queen West store during lockdown on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Over The Rainbow You'll get 20% off everything sitewide at Over The Rainbow using their discount code TGIF20. This Yorkville clothing and designer jean store offers free shipping over orders of $150. Their sale ends November 29. Hair Granted This massive Etobicoke emporium for virgin hair and accessories is running a curbside pick-up sale from November 27 to 29. All wigs will be 30% off, and all products 15% off, with other Hey! Bestfriend packages including bundles, bonnets, eyelashes, and more. SVP Sports Use the code BLACKFRIDAY20 at checkout when shopping online at SVP and you'll get an extra 20% off all their footwear sitewide. They do free shipping Canada-wise, but you can arrange curbside pick-ups from their Queen West store too. Vitaly You'll get anywhere between 30-80% off everything off the entire site by this accessories brand. Their flagship is closed but they deliver worldwide, for a fee. Discounts are applied at checkout. Kit and Ace On November 24 and 25, you can get up to 40% off everything on Kit and Ace's website. Orders of $75 quality for free standard shipping in Canada.

It may have taken more than five hours and a ton of back and forth between cops, city officials, and bylaw enforcement officers, but the controversial Etobicoke BBQ joint that publicly reopened today for indoor dining despite strict lockdown orders is finally closed. The City of Toronto announced shortly after 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday that Adamson BBQ had been "ordered closed by Toronto's Medical Officer of Health under Section 22 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act." "Des...pite Ontario regulations requiring all restaurants to be closed, except for takeout, delivery and drive-through, this establishment opened its doors to patrons for dine-in eating in contravention of the law that is designed to protect people from the spread of COVID-19," reads a news release from the city. "Investigations require the gathering of all the facts before enforcement action can be taken. The City has now taken enforcement action, and the restaurant is closed." #BREAKING The City of Toronto has now shut down Adamson BBQ, in Etobicoke, after its owner opened the doors to dine-in customers today in a public defiance of the lockdown order. Police would not move in earlier with the large crowd and demonstrators around. @680NEWS pic.twitter.com/XTHUGLUITs Mark Douglas (@Douglas680NEWS) November 24, 2020 As previously reported, Toronto Police, Toronto Public Health inspectors and city bylaw enforcement officers had all attended the Texas-style BBQ joint at 7 Queen Elizabeth Blvd late Tuesday morning. It would have been weird for them not to be there, given how publicly and aggresively owner Adam Skelly had been promoting his illegal reopening stunt. What many found even weirder, though, was the fact that authorities left without laying any charges, leaving the restaurant open and filled with defiant anti-maskers. Okay, the news accidentally catching a guy sneezing while at a place defying public health orders for restaurants to be closed, is too perfect. #Toronto #onpoli pic.twitter.com/zOWm0qieXW Stephen Punwasi (@StephenPunwasi) November 24, 2020 "An investigation was immediately launched when the restaurant was found to be operating in contravention of the Reopening Ontario Act, providing both indoor and outdoor dine-in service, with many patrons not wearing masks and not practising physical distancing," reads the city's new relase. "The City is also investigating this business for compliance with business licensing, zoning, public health, Ontario Building Code and the Ontario Fire Code requirements." Police told reporters at the scene following Toronto's announcement that they would be enforcing the order tomorrow and removing any lingering patrons if necessary. Skelly has yet to publicly comment on the closure, but he could be looking at some serious fines and even jail time: The maximum penalty upon conviction for violating the Reopening Ontario Act is up to $100,000 for individuals plus a term of imprisonment of up to one year.

The Drake Hotel has undergone a number of big changes over the course of the pandemic. Following a tumultuous summer that involved founder Jeff Stober stepping down as CEO amidst accusations of racism against the West Queen West venue, the hotel has finally emerged from a quiet period to unveil an interior overhaul. The Drake Hotel has just announced their new Artist Loft. Photo via Drake Hotel.... The Drake has added 32 new rooms to its floorplan that are expected to open in 2021. A rundown 800-square-foot apartment formerly used by touring musicians has also been turned into a new colour-blocked space called the Arist Loft. The Artist Loft is an 800-square-foot space large enough to fit eight people. Photo via Drake Hotel. The two-storey space, which fits eight people, will be used as part of the hotel's artist-in-resident program. Musicians like Toronto rapper k-os and Witch Mountain member Nathan Carson have already spent time here as part of the program. Two of the private bedrooms look out on to Queen Street West. The colourful loft from DesignAgency includes a neon-lit staircase, a skylight, and a kitchenette stocked with eats from the Drake Commissary. Two of the bedrooms in the Artist Loft looks over Queen West. Photo via Drake Hotel. Other highlights include high-speed internet, toiletries from Malin + Goetz, and Drake event flyers and Polaris Music Prize posters as artwork. Plus, handmade dolls. The hotel describes the new space as "perfect for families and bubble pals to call their home base while exploring Toronto."

Shawn Mendes released his new Netflix documentary In Wonder this week, and anyone that's seen it knows it offers a sneak peak of the Pickering native's Toronto condo. The doc features countless intimate moments in which the star opens up about everything from girlfriend Camila Cabello to the pressures of fame, but the most exciting part might just be when we get a window into his trendy Toronto digs. man your condo is FIRE @ShawnMendes...Continue reading

Another day, another Toronto institution knocked off the map by COVID-19 or rather, by a combination of the pandemic's economic impacts and inadqeuate protections for local businesses against "greedy landlords" (Doug Ford's words, not mine.) I'd tell you to stop by and say a proper farewell to Disgraceland, if that were possible, but it's not. The Bloorcourt Village mainstay was abruptly shuttered on Monday after 13 years in business. The decidedly punk vegan restaurant and...Continue reading

Not even 24 hours into Ontario's latest round of lockdown measures, people in Toronto are crying foul over new government restrictions that they say are unfair to small, independent businesses. And you know what? According to Premier Doug Ford, they're right. You see, all non-essential retailers have been ordered to close their doors ahead of what's normally their highest-grossing period of the entire year. This in itself sucks, but most business owners have been understandin...Continue reading

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Non-essential retail stores in Toronto have been forced to close under the provincial lockdown, but a number of Joe Fresh stores are still open to customers. Five standalone locations of the Loblaw-owned fashion brand closed Monday for the first day of the Ontario-wide lockdown. But, as of Tuesday, more than a handful of different Joe Fresh stores located inside of Loblaws or Real Canadian Superstore locations remain open for in-store shopping.... That includes Loblaws stores on Bathurst, Musgrave, and Leslie Streets, Redway Road, and the East Mall. The Real Canadian Superstores at Weston Road and Don Mills are also still operating their Joe Fresh locations. Both big box retailers, which sell groceries and alcohol, are exempt from new lockdown closures. And by association, so are their Joe Fresh counterparts. Shopping for clothes, shoes? The Bay on Queen Street is open. Joe Fresh in Loblaws and Superstore is open. Small independent clothing stores in Toronto/Peel - closed! Not only is this deeply unfair but is bad COVID health policy too. Dan Kelly (@CFIB) November 23, 2020 Despite the clothing retailer's clear categorization as a non-essential store, its open status in tandem with an essential grocer is a little less clear under the province's lockdown regulations. Amended Stage 1 rules make no exiplicit mention of businesses located within other businesses. Neither Ontario Public Health or the City of Toronto had provided comment at the time of publishing. Loblaw Companies Ltd. also did not provide comment. In a similar situation, the Hudson's Bay Company came under fire Monday for keeping its flagship location open, citing the presence of a Pusateri's in the basement of its Queen Street store as grounds for classifying as essential retail. It closed temporarily Tuesday after government and health officials publicly stated that only big box retailers with full grocery stores are allowed to remain open.

Biking down Lansdowne beneath the railway underpass no longer feels like a dance with death, thanks to some new protected bike lanes. Since Tuesday, the city has been installing new concrete barriers along Lansdowne's bike path, running south of Dundas to Rideau Avenue. Lansdowne Avenue being installed right now at record speed. NB complete, SB underway. Should be done tomorrow.. then on to Runnymede #bikeTO pic.twitter.com/vfFexbFXlv... kanchan (@inHrEye) October 27, 2020 Construction is now finished on the nourthbound lanes, as is the majority of the southbound lanes. For years, bike advocacy group Cycle Toronto has been advocating for safe passage for cyclists on Lansdowne Street. Yesterday, low concrete walls were installed on Lansdowne south of Dundas at the rail underpass. Other direction should be today. Great to see key sections being upgraded with more protection! #BikeTO pic.twitter.com/P0khjRRb3F Cycle Toronto (@CycleToronto) October 27, 2020 Nearly a decade since the group led a Halloween-themed bike rally to have the bike lanes implemented, the city has upgraded the lane with new concrete walls to further protect bikers in this particularly daunting stretch of the street (especially that terrifying right-turn at Rideau). The city is continuing to increase safety along other bike lanes, including painted concrete walls last week on Scarlett Road, and eventually, the rail underpass on Runnymede in The Junction.

The 50-year-old Holiday Inn by Yorkdale will soon be demolished for a trio of condos. The 12-storey hotel directly across the street from Yorkdale Mall will become the site for a new development from the Gupta Group. According to Holiday Inn Toronto-Yorkdale, its last day of operations will be November 30, 2020. ... The Holiday Inn across from Yorkdale Mall was built in 1970. Photo courtesy of Joseph Fiore. It has long been known that the ageing lodging would eventually be replaced by massive towers. Applications to redevelop the site at 3450 Dufferin Street were first submitted in 2016, with designs from Page + Steele and IBI Group Architects for towers spanning 29, 33, and 37 storeys. The proposal includes townhouse units, a new entwork of roads, and a public park. Three towers from the Gupta Group will soon replace the Holiday Inn Toronto-Yorkdale. Photo by Bousfields via City of Toronto submission. In total, 1,044 residential units will be added to the area, the majority of which are one-bedrooms-plus dens. The tallest tower, known as Building A, will also include 255 hotel rooms. Holiday Inn Toronto-Yorkdale, which was built in 1970, currently offers 372 rooms. The demolition of the Holiday Inn Toronto-Yorkdale has sparked some nostalgia from former visitors and staff alike. Photo courtesy of Joseph Fiore. It's a difference of 116 rooms, but the real loss here appears to be the family-like relationship between employees, according to some staff in a local community group, and the memories made by guests who've visited over the last half century. "I've taken pictures at company events and felt this sense that it was a really special place," wrote group member Joseph Fiore. "It will be sadly missed." Goodbye to the conference rooms, indoor pool, and cool lobby courtyard, they don't make them like this anymore.

Any list of quintessential Toronto locations must surely include 299 Queen Street West, at one time Canada’s greatest and busiest pop-culture incubator when Citytv and MuchMusic lived there. Perhaps the most defining aspect of the building is the truck smashing out of its walls, an actual art installation which has been there since 1993. Most people have seen it, few know its story....Continue reading

A farm near Toronto is closing their front lawn pumpkin patch for the rest of the season for the first time in over 30 years. Downey's Farm has been well known as a great fall getaway less than an hour's drive from Toronto where you can pick out a prime pumpkin, but the iconic location will be a little different this year. Their front lawn patch won't be filled with pumpkins, and they cancelled their annual Pumpkinfest. View this post on Instagram...Continue reading

If you have ever wanted to get kissed by a cow or pet a pig, a farm visit at an animal sanctuary might be the escape from the city you are looking for. Just north of Peterborough, The Pearly Acre offers one-hour visits with rescued and adopted potbelly pigs Bullet, Piper, Ivy, Dexter, Cash, Rosie and Quincy. The tours were very popular in the summer and the sanctuary saw more than 100 visitors, said owner Sarah Heydon. However, Heydon said she may put the tours on hold due...Continue reading

If the provincial government doesn't act now as in right now, immediately people who don't even have COVID-19 will die as a result. This is the general thrust of a grave warning from Toronto ICU physician Dr. Michael Warner, as issued on Twitter Thursday morning after he received new data revealing how many coronavirus patients are currently in hospital. "Critical Care Services Ontario is reporting that we have reached the 150 patient threshold for COVID patients in ICUs ...Continue reading

A Toronto barbershop is spreading some neighbourhood love with discounted haircuts, so long as you shop local. Your Neighbourhood Barbershop is offering $5 off of cuts to clients. The only requirement: a receipt that shows you shopped at a locally-owned restaurant or bar. The shop at 2585 Lake Shore Blvd. West only opened officially at the beginning of September, but owner Andy Dinner says he's been living in the South Etobicoke neighbourhood for 33 years. ... "I'm born and raised in the Lake Shore and Islington area," says Dinner. "I've always wanted to open a storefront here, and became a barber a few years back." Dinner says that the goal since opening has been to uplift the surrounding businesses which have been struggling to make ends meet during COVID-19. View this post on Instagram All I want to do is help my community. That being said; if you bring in a receipt from a locally owned restaurant or bar showing you ordered take out or pick up from a business effected by the lockdown - I will give you $5 off your haircut. Currently, this promotion will only last until the end of the month. Support local! A post shared by Your Neighbourhood Barbershop (@yourneighbourhoodbarbershop) on Oct 13, 2020 at 9:39am PDT It started with Dinner paying-it-forward with 50 coffees at the Big Guy's Little Coffee Shop. This most recent $5-off initative, which he launched on Tuesday, will continue until the end of the month. That means you can hit some local businesses like Kabob House for shawarma or Kitchen on Sixth for some takeout brunch and get some bones off a nice fade. Dinner and apprentice Ariel offer haircuts that range from to $35, by appointment only, with social distancing rules in effect. Despite opening in the midst of a pandemic, Dinner says his three-chair barber shop has been fairly busy. "Business has actually been amazing because of the fact I'm so community-oriented," he says. "People are supporting me because I'm supporting everyone else."

An obscure bylaw is responsible for the attempted removal of a fridge being used to provide free, accessible food to the community. In the summer, Ten Restaurant started up an initiative to host fridges filled with free food outside their restaurant. The program eventually expanded to include fridges in other communities, including one outside Black Diamond Vintage in Parkdale. View this post on Instagram... A post shared by Community Fridges Toronto (@cf___to) This is the fridge which is being removed, according to the community group posting about it on an Instagram page dedicated to the project. According to the post, City bylaw officers ordered the landlord to remove the fridge within 24 hours, citing a bylaw intended for unused appliances, which are supposed to have their doors removed. The post goes on to explain that the bylaw is apparently for outdated fridges which cannot be opened from the inside and could potentially trap children, but appliances which are in use are supposed to be exempt. "We pleaded our case on how the fridge is not abandoned, the frequency of the community members and volunteers constantly visiting the fridge, and how many folks have become reliant on its existence," the caption reads. "We even tried to come to a fair solution, offering to place a smaller fridge instead but we've essentially hit 'the red tape' and the city will not budge." They thank Black Diamond Vintage for hosting up until now, but are currently on the hunt for a new home for the a community fridge in the Parkdale neighbourhood. All a new host needs is a private spot like a patio, enclave or parking spot that's accessible to the community, and to provide power to the fridge. Potential hosts should get in touch via email. "As far as we know the other fridges aren't in peril. The assumption was that there was a neighbourhood complaint about the Parkdale one specifically that lead to the bylaw officer's notice. The city failed to offer a reasonable solution or find a way this could be rectified," Jalil Bokhari, who helped start the project, told blogTO. "The community has already come together in support and have been frequently donating to the other locations since the news of the Parkdale one being shut down." Other fridges are located at 1132 College St., 348 Pape Ave. and 782 Adelaide St. W. and are accessible 24/7 to leave or take clean, good quality foods free of excess packaging stored in an organized manner.

Have you ever wondered what Toronto might name an NFL team if it ever got one? Well, look no further because this local artist has you covered. In a recent Instagram post, Luc Samanski shared what he thought a Toronto football team might look like and what it could be called and honestly, he pretty much nailed it. ...Continue reading

The top smash burgers in Toronto are taking over the city, one crispy crusted patty at a time (ok, sometimes two at a time). Pressed flat onto the griddle to create a thin patty with crunchy edges and often served on pillowy rolls, check out these places to see why this is Toronto's new favourite snack. Here are my picks for the top smash burgers in Toronto.

Matty Matheson, the tatted Toronto chef behind the famous Parts & Labour burger (R.I.P.), is opening up a permanent spot for juicy burgs. The new project called Matty Patty's will be launching at 923 Queen St. West, directly across from Trinity Bellwoods Park. View this post on Instagram... The original Matty’s Patty’s. A post shared by MATTY’S PATTY’S (@mattyspattysburgerclub) on Oct 12, 2020 at 8:43am PDT What started as a burger pop-up in Hawaii (at an event called RVCAloha, run by Matty Patty's partner Pat Tenore) made its way to Freak's Store in Tokyo last year. If you hit the inaugural MattyFest in September 2019, you might have gotten a taste of these cheesy bad boys while watching Wu-Tang hit the stage. View this post on Instagram A post shared by MATTY’S PATTY’S (@mattyspattysburgerclub) on Oct 14, 2020 at 1:14pm PDT The Vice food show host also taught Seth Meyers how to make a version of it on Late Night. View this post on Instagram A post shared by MATTY MATHESON (@mattymatheson) on Oct 14, 2020 at 1:12pm PDT There are no official hours yet, though the shop did drum up some excitement with free burger giveaways Wednesday afternoon.

Toronto's controversial Adamson Barbecue is the talk of Twitter today after opening for indoor dining despite strict provincial lockdown orders forbidding restaurants from providing all but delivery and takeout services. You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone with an internet connection who isn't aware of the drama taking place at the Texas-style BBQ joint's Etobicoke location right now. In the three hours since reopening to the public on Monday, Adamson has reportedly been vis...Continue reading

If you're a fan of Brokinis, the one shoulder bathing suit for men created by Toronto guys Chad Sasko and Taylor Field, there's some good news in an otherwise dreary week. The duo are set to make their Dragons' Den debut next week. Sasko and Field launched their men's bikini line this past summer and have seen a significant rise in business since being featured in blogTO in August. ... Two guys from Toronto just started a men's bathing suit company called Brokinis https://t.co/gwiTTMmHJk #Toronto #BathingSuits pic.twitter.com/2gHL2zaoPP blogTO (@blogTO) August 24, 2020 "That blogTO post went out and it just got picked up from there and so we sold out of out inventory in two days. Since then, we've been working furiously to get new inventory in," Field told blogTO. "We have three new patterns, we originally started with two, and are up to five total now." Besides Brokinis, they are also now selling face masks called "face condoms." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Brokinis (@brokinis) In additon to selling out their stock, Field and Sasko were asked to appear on Dragons' Den. "Brokinis went viral and then a couple days later, one of the producers from Dragon's Den reached out to us about coming on the show," Field said. "We were still new and just launched and we didn't think we were ready to pitch on Dragons' Den. But we decided to go for it, we thought it would be fantastic life experience to say we pitched on Dragon's Den." Their appearance on the show will air on Nov. 26, and Field confirmed that he and Sasko were asked to wear the Brokinis on national television. A sneak peak of their Dragons' Den appearance. "It was a lot of fun, super entertaining and we don't think the Dragons had ever really seen a pitch like that before," Field said. "We'd already embarassed ourselves all over the world wearing Brokinis, so that was nothing that was too scary for Chad or I." The episode was filmed in August, but Field said that all the proper COVID-19 precautions were in place. "On Thursday Nov. 26, all of Canada can revel in our parents' shame," Field joked.

Five people are in Toronto police custody following a shooting early Tuesday morning in Ice Condos: the waterfront towers with an alleged abundance of AirBnb units. According to TPS, a gun has been recovered after two bullets were allegedly shot through the wall and into the unit next door shortly before 3 a.m. Fortunately, no one was injured. But the resident of the next-door condo unit, Lucas Timmons, took to social media to share photos of the damage that was done to his...Continue reading

Just as fitness and yoga studios made plans to restart classes this weekend, the rules changed yet again. As of Nov. 14, Toronto officially moved into a revised version of the Red-Control phase of Ontario's new colour-coded reopening framework rather than Orange-Restrict, meaning that precautions are now more stringent than anticipated. Instead of the 50-person capacity that Orange would have enabled, gyms are only permitted 10 people inside at any given time (or 25 outside) ...Continue reading

This mansion in Mississauga is truly what dreams are made of. Located at 1343 Blythe Road, this enormous, 18,000 square-foot home is currently on the market for a whopping $30 million and honestly, it's pretty obvious why. The home's grand front entrance.... Not only is it equipped with eight bedrooms and 12 bathrooms, but the house was specifically designed so that almost every room has an amazing view of the outdoors. The home's main floor living area. The master bedroom has a fireplace, his and her walk-in closets, a six-piece bathroom, and a powder room in case you need that extra primping time. The stunning master bedroom has all the amenities you'll need. You'll even find a full gym with multiple pieces of professional equipment on the second floor. The perfect place for your quarantine workout. The third floor, on the other hand, houses a recreational area and a walkout to an enormous terrace that has a fireplace as well. With a recreation room on the third floor, you'll never be bored. As if all of that wasn't enough, this massive mansion comes with four garages, two of which are heated. Not to mention there are 20 parking spaces on the property in total. Probably more space than you'll know what to do with. This house would be perfect for anyone who loves to play golf, as it backs onto a golf course that's connected with a private path. You're own private path to play golf. It might even appeal to the nature-lovers out there since the Credit River, in which you can fish, canoe, or kayak, runs through the property. Of course, to get all of this, you'll have to be willing to part with a pretty hefty chunk of change.

While the majority of Toronto residents were safe at home (probably suffering from a food coma following too much turkey and stuffing) over the long weekend, bylaw and police officers were out in full force ensuring both members of the public and businesses were complying with public health measures. Last week, the provincial government announced that new rules would be introduced in Toronto, Peel and Ottawa to help curb the spread the virus, which has been on the rise for we...Continue reading

You can put on a brave face and look at the bright side until the cows come home, but there's no denying that COVID-19 has made life worse for many people. Premier Doug Ford, optimistic as he may be, admitted as much in a frustrated diatribe during his daily pandemic press conference on Wednesday when asked about the reactions of gym and restaurant owners who feel unfairly targeted by the province's new "modified Stage 2" restrictions in Toronto, Peel and Ottawa. "You know wh...Continue reading

A Toronto designer is making illustrations of some of the most decadent-looking comfort foods found in the city, and they look real enough to eat. For the past several months, artist José Rivas has been illustrating gooey, cheesy, and chocolatey eats on Photoshop. View this post on Instagram... A post shared by josevrivas (@josevrivas) on Oct 15, 2020 at 8:23am PDT At first glance, they look edible. He has captured the glazed wonder that is a donut from Dipped, and the drippy mess of the vegan burger from Gladiator is on point. View this post on Instagram A post shared by josevrivas (@josevrivas) on Jul 31, 2020 at 10:43am PDT The stack of chicken sandwiches from Cabano's are tempting. So are the Korean rice dogs from Chung Chun. Oh, and theres the mini pancakes-covered pizza from Lamanna's okay, we're hungry. View this post on Instagram A post shared by josevrivas (@josevrivas) on Aug 24, 2020 at 7:00am PDT Rivas, who is a senior art director at the creative agency Anomaly, says he has been drawing food for a long time, but his business-centric illustrations started during the pandemic. "I was running low on inspiration and mentally checked out this year - like so many of us - but one thing that always lifted my spirits was eating, so I thought it would be interesting to combine my love for food with my passion for art," says Rivas. View this post on Instagram A post shared by josevrivas (@josevrivas) on Jun 17, 2020 at 8:58am PDT "It sort of clicked after that, I wanted to do my part in creating some sort of spotlight for small businesses in my neighborhood that were doing their part in serving awesome food." It was also a great way for him to pass the time during quarantine. View this post on Instagram A post shared by josevrivas (@josevrivas) on Nov 8, 2020 at 1:09pm PST Rivas spends two weeks or more on each illustration, depending on the amount of detail involved in the food. He particularly likes drawing burgers. "They're like edible collages between two buns," he says. Be right back, about to order some chicken and waffles from The Heartbreak Chef.

Chair Girl. PeePeePooPoo man. Those brothers who wouldn't stop playing Despacito on the accordion for TTC subway riders. The Cherry Beach chainsaw bros. Rob Ford. Toronto loves a good anti-hero, and our relationships with the people we simultaneously vilify and exhalt as a populace are complicated. Do we hate them? Love them? Love to hate them? Hate to love them? In some cases, it might be all of the above. In all cases, these characters are worthy of commemoration, even if o...Continue reading

For African jollof and kelewele tostones, check out a new pop-up from Afrobeat Kitchen. The new project from Lagos-born Victor Ugeweke is operating out of the Bloor Street spot Caravan Cafe & Tea House, where he's slinging out Nigerian eats from inside this local cafe. Ugeweke recently ran his Faaji Food pop-up underneath The Bentway with The Depanneur as part of Communal Picnics.... View this post on Instagram A post shared by Afrobeat Kitchen (@naked.sol.food) on Oct 28, 2020 at 6:39pm PDT Now, Afrobeat is taking over Caravan from Wednesday to Sunday. They're also serving Afrobrunches from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the end of the week that include dishes like waffles and a Naira Burger (honey bean akara fritter in a coco bun, yum). Right now, the menu includes the kelewele tostones ($6): double-cooked smashed plantains. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Caravan Cafe & Tea House (@caravancafeto) on Sep 23, 2020 at 7:21am PDT The West African staple Party Jollof ($19) comes with lemongrass, smoked crayfish, peppered chicken, plantains, and slaw. Their miso mafe stew is vegetarian and gluten-free, a peanut soup that incorporates miso, young jackfruit, and a side of coconut rice ($16). The restaurant has just launched with Ritual and Doordash, meaning you can try this lean menu of traditional Nigerian eats via delivery or takeout.

Overcrowding on the TTC has been a hot topic over the past 24 hours thanks to a now-viral tweet from the agency's customer service account saying social distancing will no longer be possible and riders should simply get off a vehicle and wait for the next one if they feel unsafe. The tweet sparked outrage from residents who say it's both the city and the TTC's responsibility to keep transit users safe amid the pandemic, and Mayor John Tory has since referred to the comment a...Continue reading

Haunted houses in Toronto are taking a backseat during Halloween 2020, because, let's be real, there's nothing scarier than a pandemic. The majority of these spooky attractions are cancelled for this year due to COVID-19 concerns: Casa Loma has called off their event Legends of Horror, as has the Etobicoke staple Martino Manor and the Ex's longtime Screemers. A few Niagara favourites are still running, like Nightmares Fear Factory, but as of right now, only one indoor Hallo...ween labyrinth in Toronto remains: Horror Hallways. Back for another year the at Etobicoke's 401 Mini Indy, this terrifying event is running from October 9 to November 8 with its haunted house and maze. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Toronto Horror Hallways (@horrorhallways) on Oct 11, 2020 at 12:57pm PDT Aside from the waiting area, the entire event takes place indoors (in pitch-black hallways, no less), so strict social distancing rules are in place. Masks and face coverings are mandatory, especially since there'll likely be a lot of heavy breathing and screaming going on inside. Temperature checks, contact tracing info, and hand sanitizing is also required for all visitors. Groups are let in one at a time, with a maximum of 6 people per party. Horror Hallways says it's also doing extra sanitizing and staff checks on the back end. It's $20 per person, cash-only at the entry tents. Horror Hallways is open on Fridays and Saturdays from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., and on Sundays from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Toronto is putting new needle drop boxes in parks around the city so users can safely dispose of sharps and needles. Two new drop boxes have been placed in Trinity Bellwoods Park near Queen and Strachan and St. James Park near King and Church. Users & finders, this is where you put needles safely & securely. Don’t wanna PU let @311 know with exact &/or GPS location. Be safe, kind & patient folks. #COVID19 continues. Thanks @TorontoPFR & @cityoftoronto for install #maskup #c...leanhands pic.twitter.com/RFSh0rJXAH Trinity Bellwoods (@TrinityBellwood) October 2, 2020 Toronto Public Health installed the boxes earlier this month and are part of a city-wide initiative to reduce the impact of discarded needles and other drug use equipment, said TPH spokesperson Dr. Rita Shahin. It comes at the same time that parks have seen an increased number of tent encampments including a large and growing one at Trinity Bellwoods which is also home to the social distancing circles. The intention is to make the drop boxes as accessible as possible throughout the city. There are a limited number of bins so some are placed where there is an identified need and others are placed to ensure geographic accessibility, explained Shahin. A map of all current needle drop box locations is provided for reference below.

Get in the car and bring your holiday spirit, friends: there's a drive-thru Christmas festival launching in Markham next month. Journey into Enchantment, a winter lights event designed to be enjoyed from your car, is taking over the Angus Glen Golf Club grounds this winter. View this post on Instagram... A post shared by Journey into Enchantment (@journeyintoenchantment) on Sep 10, 2020 at 5:31pm PDT Running from Nov. 20, 2020 to Jan. 4, 2021, the 1.5-kilometre route will be lit with more than one million lights. Animated displays, music show, fireworks and an epic Christmas tunnel will all be part of the drive-thru. It's one ticket per car, which you can buy online. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Journey into Enchantment (@journeyintoenchantment) on Sep 16, 2020 at 6:35pm PDT Single visits range from $29.94 to $34.95, depending on when you go, with different prices for passenger vans, limos or mini buses. If you purchase tickets soon, you may be able to catch the early bird prices. Journey Into Enchantment is hoping to raise $100,000 for SickKids Foundation and Toronto Animal Shelter.

Toronto's downtown Pickle Barrel has closed for good. A post was made to Toronto Facebook group Food and Wine Industry Navigator that shows the assets of the restaurant being sold off in an album of over 50 photos. Commenters on Facebook instantly recognized the restaurant as the Pickle Barrel at Yonge & Dundas. Many remarked on the sad situation, talking about memories spanning back over a decade and saying how beautiful the kitchen was.... The photos show a massive industrial kitchen full of equipment, furniture, and other items like beer taps and coffee makers. Pickle Barrel confirmed to blogTO that the Yonge and Dundas location has closed, while the original poster of the photos did not respond to a request for comment. Around since 1971, the restaurant chain is known for its lengthy menu and kitschy decor. Pickle Barrel at Yonge & Dundas is liquidating its chattels. Legit have no idea what fills a restaurant space that giant, at the current rents.#Toronto #ToRE Stephen Punwasi (@StephenPunwasi) October 29, 2020 Luckily, you can still order delivery from Pickle Barrel in the GTA and surrounding areas.

The TTC is coming under fire today for a tweet issued by its customer service Twitter account which states that social distancing will no longer be possible on the transit system's vehicles "as the city re-opens." The tweet in question was published in response to a rider who posted a photo of the crowded bus she was on this morning, and she asked how commuters are supposed to social distancing in these conditions. Hi Victoria. As the city re-opens, social distancing will no ...Continue reading

It was just over one year ago when music mogul Pharrell Williams appeared on huge screens all around Yonge-Dundas Square with a message for the people of Toronto. Paraphrased, that message was: "I'm the face of a new condo development at Yonge and Eglinton." The master beat-maker is said to be working with Toronto-based architects at IBI Group and interior experts at U31 to design the complex titled "Untitled" for developers Reserve Properties and Westdale Properties....Continue reading

Ever since Ontario DriveTest centres reopened their doors to the public back in June following the first wave lockdown, appointments for road tests have been in high demand. As a result, a massive estimated backlog of 350,000 passenger road tests has accumulated, and the province is now trying to find a way to address it and shorten wait times. The Ontario government, therefore, announced Friday that they're working with DriveTest centres across the province to hire more th...an 130 additional temporary driver examiners. We are working with DriveTest to reduce wait times for road tests. DriveTest is hiring over 130 temporary driver examiners to help relieve the backlog caused by COVID-19. Visit https://t.co/pWtfh1z8V8 for more information or to book a test. pic.twitter.com/6Mr3YvOivN Ontario Ministry of Transportation (@ONtransport) October 29, 2020 "Our government recognizes that the closure of DriveTest centres due to COVID-19 has caused hardship and uncertainty for people trying to get their driver's licences," said Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney in a statement. "That's why we are working with DriveTest to hire more examiners to make more road tests available to ensure that people who need a road test can get one as quickly as possible." The additional temporary driver examiners are expected to begin conducting tests in December, and the Ministry of Transportation says this will help relieve the backlog and ideally reduce it to pre-COVID-19 levels by March 2021. And in order to curb the spread of COVID-19, DriveTest centres across the province continue to require customers to wear face coverings inside centres and during road tests, sanitize their hands when they enter the building, and submit to temperature checks and screening when taking a road test. All DriveTest staff are also required to wear appropriate personal protective equipment when serving customers, and driver examiners will be equipped with face shields/goggles, sanitizer packages, and seat covers when conducting road tests.

Outdoor patio heaters are in high demand in Toronto and yet another local restaurant has had some stolen from their patio. The Wren posted to social media on Oct. 13 saying someone "borrowed our 4 patio heaters without asking," "cutting through the lock chain." It's the first time heaters have been stolen from them. Patio heaters have become a coveted item in the hospitality industry in Toronto: a cursory search through online community groups or a quick Google will reveal to...ns of restaurant owners and the like on the hunt for precious heat. "Stolen heaters suck a lot. It can totally screw a small restaurant like ours that has built up a new patio business through the summer and into the fall. We didn't really have one before. Like, some people come out because we have heaters," says Dennis Kimeda of The Wren. "Others stay for another round because they keep them warm when the sun goes down. So yeah, it was a bummer to find a steel cable cut and the four heaters gone." The Wren isn't the first victim of this kind of thievery, either: Alchemy was recently hit by a similar burglar swiping their heater. Thankfully, The Wren's story has a happy ending, for now. "Mark and Mandie from Left Field Brewery, who are always super warm, came through with a loaner! That plus a back up, and more radiant heaters on the way should help get the cozy level back up to where we had it. Bring a blanket and make yourself at home," The Wren wrote. "They'll have to steal the concrete off the sidewalk to stop us from keeping these patio vibes going!"

Shoppers Drug Mart locations around Toronto can't keep the flu shot in stock just days after it was released in pharmacies across the country. There have also been long lineups at many pharmacy locations. Now to save time, Shoppers Drug Mart is asking customers to fill out an online screening and consent form prior to showing up to the pharmacy for their shot. Last month, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced what he suggested would be the largest flu shot campaign in Canada's ...history. The government aims to reduce flu-related hospitalizations in the province so as not to backlog the system and free up space for COVID-19 patients. Never before have the flu shots been so critical, Ford said But despite the millions of doses, some people have reported being turned away and that many Shoppers Drug Marts are out of stock. A sign of the times #Covid19 pic.twitter.com/mPHxqTNtsR Cynthia Mulligan (@CityCynthia) October 10, 2020 The long lineups are also raising concerns among people as there is no one to enforce mask-wearing. Flu shots in Toronto are about as well administered as contact tracing in Toronto. 1 hour waiting in line with no mask enforcement @YorkdaleStyle and still only half way through to the front. @ShopprsDrugMart #TOpoli pic.twitter.com/p2m7FCf7YU Sharmin Rahman (@srahman24) October 10, 2020 Others worry that social distancing isn't and can't be followed in the small space inside the pharmacy. This is how @ShopprsDrugMart is ensuring everyone’s safety during #FluShot2020 You’ll probably end up contracting #COVID19 while queuing up for your flu shot- for over 3 hours @TOPublicHealth should enforce #SocialDistancing in #Toronto more stringently! #COVID19Ontario pic.twitter.com/FS3qE4wfcz GhosTO (@aponbhola) October 11, 2020 One doctor said due to the shortage in higher doses of the shot, some patients have had to opt-out of the doses and settle for the regular one. I just had to say to a 65 year old patient that although he’s eligible (by age) for the high dose flu shot, I only have 15 doses and I have 185 patients who are >65, 34 of whom are >80. He generously opted for the standard dose. So who gets the high dose, with limited supply? Dr Nili Kaplan-Myrth, MD, PhD, CCFP (@nilikm) October 13, 2020 Others are avoiding lineups and booking appointments instead, but the appointments can be weeks away. Heads up Toronto: I just booked a flu shot appt through Rexall, but I couldn't get one until Oct 26 (didn't want to chance a walk-in). Don't wait too long if you're looking to get one, or call your doc ASAP. Ruth Kapelus (@RuthKapelus) October 9, 2020 While some have gotten lucky and managed to snag a dose of the flu shot, others are still in line. People are encouraged to try and get the shot as soon as possible and to call pharmacies in advance.

Looking for an excuse to wrap your teeth around one of Toronto's tallest, cheesiest burgers? I've got two. First off, Jason Momoa the number one hottest man in the world as ranked by people with eyes everywhere was spotted on the patio of Ozzy's Burgers in Kensington Market yesterday, enjoying one of said burgers. If Jason Momoa can eat massive cheeseburgers and look the way he does, why can't you? Also, if Jason Momoa ate a massive cheeseburger at Ozzy's on Tuesday, who'...s to say he won't do it again? In fact, the latter seems likely: Ozzy's Burgers owner Ozgur "Ozzy" Sekar told blogTO by phone on Wednesday that Momoa loved the special creation he ate, and that he'd be back for more. Jason Momoa was spotted grabbing a burger at Ozzy's Burgers in Kensington Market - Ozzy's Burgers #Toronto #KensingtonMarket #OzzysBurgers #JasonMomoa pic.twitter.com/Zj7jUDlATl blogTO (@blogTO) October 14, 2020 Ozzy says he noticed the Aquaman and Game of Thrones actor on a patio across the street from his restaurant at 66 Nasau Street. "I went to his table and I said 'Hey man, I have the best burger in Toronto! Can you come try it'?" says Ozzy, to which Momoa is said to have replied "Ozzy my buddy, I'm coming." True to his word, Kahl Drogo himself came across the street to enjoy a special burger made just for him from a mixture of lamb and beef. "I did this for him and he loved it," says Ozzy. "He said 'I'm going to come again and try the whole menu." View this post on Instagram High Level @prideofgypsies A post shared by Ozgur Sekar (@highlevelozzy) on Oct 14, 2020 at 10:33am PDT And lest you think his promise sounds hollow, the notoriously down-to-earth actor followed Ozzy on Instagram right then and there, much to the Toronto restauranteur's delight. He posted some photos and video footage from the special visit on Wednesday afternoon, much to the delight of everyone else. Ozzy says he was as happy to serve Momoa in town filming Season 2 of See as he is to serve all of his customers, especially during these difficult times. "Ozzy's is here!" he said to blogTO. "Peace and love and stay high level, my friends!"

More than five million images of faces have been collected without the consent or even knowledge of shoppers at Cadillac Fairview-owned malls across the country, according to Canada's privacy commissioner. The Privacy Commissioners of Canada, Alberta and B.C. announced in a joint statement on Thursday morning that they had concluded an investigation into the major mall operator's alleged use of facial recognition cameras inside information kiosks. The privacy watchdogs concl...Continue reading

Thanks to the health crisis, though Toronto's housing market is on fire lately, rent prices in the city have actually been declining for the first time in a long time, dipping well below the high of $2,500 per month, on average, that tenants saw last fall. According to the new October 2020 National Rent Report from Rentals.ca and Bullpen Research & Consulting, Toronto rents are down a whopping 14.1 per cent from this time last year, landing at a mean of $2,158 for all residen...Continue reading

Toronto undoubtedly has a reputation for its raccoon population, but the city has had what feels like even more trash panda-related antics than usual lately, with the critters ending up in some pretty dangerous places they definitely shouldn't be, from atop construction cranes to behind the counters of popular coffee shop chains. Earlier this week, one raccoon was saved from wandering into traffic by an unlikely hero on a Segway, who simply grabbed the furry friend by the scr...Continue reading

After 25 years in Yorkville, Banana Republic's flagship Toronto store has shuttered its doors for good. The two-storey shop, which opened at 80 Bloor St. West in 1995, was one of two original locations of the American brand to launch in Toronto. The second opened in the Eaton Centre around the same time. Spanning a whopping 6,000 square feet, Banana Republic took over what used to be an Emporio Armani store.... It will soon be transformed into a golden tower, if all goes according to plan. The properties at 80 and 82 Bloor St. West, which includes the Harry Rosen flagship next door, are to be incorporated into what is slated to be a 79-storey mixed use tower one of the tallest in Canada. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Carolina Pinglo Rizo Patrón (@carepinglo) on Jul 22, 2016 at 2:05pm PDT Like many other Gap-owned brands, there have been closures across the board for the retailer. Last year, Gap announced it would be shuttering nearly half of their locations over the next two years, including some located in Canada. Banana Republic still operates a number of stores in the city, including in Yorkdale Mall, Sherway Gardens, and Bayview Village. Online, they're currently running sales of up to 50 per cent. There have been multiple other store closures this year on Toronto's luxury strip. J. Crew and Mulberry both shuttered in the last few months, and the Club Monaco building is now up for sale.

Toronto police announced today that they dismantled a "violent street gang" called the Eglinton West Crips and laid hundreds of criminal charges in a huge province-wide gun, gang, drug and human trafficking investigation. The year-long intelligence-led operation, called Project Sunder, was completed in cooperation with the Ontario Provincial Police, Waterloo, York, Peel and Durham Regional Police Services, as well as the Thunder Bay Police Service, according to TPS. In a ne...ws release published Friday, the force said that the investigation targeted over 100 individuals alleged to be responsible for serious crimes such as murder, attempted murder, firearms offences, drug trafficking and human trafficking in areas from Toronto to Thunder Bay. Firearms seized as part of multijurisdictional Gun & Drug investigation across the province Watch news conference at 1pm: https://t.co/3hA7SwbIbX pic.twitter.com/prnAbZB0cw Kevin Masterman (@tpspix) October 29, 2020 The investigation took place over several months and, with the execution of 141 search warrants, police were able to seize 31 firearms, seven kilograms of cocaine, two kilograms of fentanyl, two kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, over $300,000 in Canadian currency, and other drugs including heroin, oxycodone, percocets, and MDMA. "What started as a local investigation into a dangerous street gang known as the Eglinton West Crips turned into a complex, multi-jurisdictional project involving arrests in 15 different cities," said TPS Deputy Chief Myron Demkiw in the release. "Thanks to the cooperation of these other police services, we have been successful in dismantling this criminal organization and taking guns and drugs off the streets of many communities." Police are expecting that once the project is entirely complete, more than 114 people will face roughly 800 charges including offences related to participating in a criminal organization, firearms offences including shootings, and drug trafficking and possession. Other Ontario jurisdictions that played an active role in the project, according to TPS, include Ontario Provincial Police (Orillia, Gravenhurst, North Bay, Napanee), York Region, Peel Region, Halton Region, Durham Region, Barrie, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, Kingston, Ottawa, and Thunder Bay. "Violent criminal activity knows no geographical boundaries," said Waterloo Regional Police Service Deputy Chief Shirley Hilton in the news release. "The number of weapons and drugs seized during this joint investigation should be concerning to all communities and demonstrates the commitment from Ontario police services to disrupt illegal trafficking, gun and gang violence in our province. We will continue to combat such violent crime and ensure individuals responsible are brought to justice."

It's been three days since Toronto, Peel and Ottawa were relegated back to a version of Stage 2 lockdown under which gyms, movie theatres, casinos and museum exhibitions were closed down, and indoor service at bars and restaurants put on hold for at least 28 days. And now, for all those elsewhere in Ontario who have been wagging their fingers at the three hotspot regions, Premier Doug Ford has indicated that extending the measures to other parts of the province is not out of ...the question right now. "I always sit down with Chief Medical Officer Dr. Williams and the command table to get their input... I'm just praying that we don't have to expand this," Ford said at his media briefing on Tuesday, adding that it was painful to have to make the move to close down parts of the province last week. Premier Doug Ford says he's "praying" that the government doesn't have to expand modified stage 2 to other jurisdictions -- especially the ones that border Toronto and Peel. #onpoli Colin D'Mello CTVNews (@ColinDMello) October 13, 2020 Though he stated that there are no such plans for any additional regions firmed up at the moment, Ford vowed to continue to base future decisions about restrictions on the advice of the province's top health officials, as well as new case and hospitalization numbers. "[We've got] to get our hands around the spike of 939 cases on Friday that we saw. We can't take anything for granted and we can't let our guard down," he told reporters today on the subject. "I'm always going to follow the command table's advice." Though there is no set number for how many new cases per day in a region would qualify it to return to a more stringent version of pandemic lockdown, Ford said the public will be the first to know. Health experts and residents of more rural parts of the province have been calling for tougher health and safety rules in Toronto for some weeks now, given that the populous urban centre has had the bulk of new cases during the second wave. Has Ontario made public any specific thresholds for when a region will be moved from Stage 3 back to Stage 2? I've been googling and hunting around the province's website, and everything I can find is basically just "if the Chief Medical Officer of Health decides to" rocketfox (@RocketButler) October 11, 2020 The most recent epidemiologic summary from Public Health Ontario shows 746 new cases and nine additional deaths in the last 24 hours. A total of 624 more patients are also now considered resolved since yesterday, as are 85.2 per cent of all infections in the province. Two hundred and thirty Ontarians remain hospitalized with the communicable disease, with 60 of them in the ICU and 34 requiring the use of a ventilator. Testing, now by appointment only, remains fairly high at 31,233 though below the mid-October target of 50,000 per day and per cent positivity is very slowly starting to trend upwards again, albeit still hovering below 2.5 per cent.

If you've been looking for a sign that Halloween isn't completely cancelled in and around Toronto this year, an eerie sight at the waterfront in Mississauga over the weekend confirms that people are definitely still in the spirit. A local photographer managed to capture some peculiar images of what appears to be a group of witches taking part in some wholesome fun on the water near the Credit River Inlet, just west of downtown Toronto. The coven was spotted in full uncanny ga...rb while paddleboarding witches' favourite sport, it seems casting sinister silhouettes against the backdrop of the orange sunset, which made for some perfectly Halloween-y vibes. Photographer Malcolm Bryston uploaded the pictures to Facebook, and they've since gained some traction online as we approach the holiday, which many fear will be completely ruined by the second wave of COVID-19. Canadian Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam this week assured the public that trick-or-treaters can still enjoy the festivities this year so long as everyone heeds health and safety advice, but residents of the Ontario hotspots of Toronto, Peel and Ottawa have been advised that their regions now in an amended version of Stage 2 lockdown may be subject to different rules. Though Halloween parties, get-togethers and even some pumpkin patches may be off-limits this year, people have been coming up with creative ways to keep spooky season alive, including new contraptions to give out candy in a physically distant way. Scary movie nights with fellow members of your household, creepy baking or arts and crafts, and distanced activities like paddleboarding while in costume are also great options to enjoy the time of year.

Torteria San Cosme has quietly left their Kensington market location. The spot has been known as one of the city's best Mexican restaurants, serving some of the best sandwiches, churros and all-around cheap eats. "It is with great sadness that we inform you that due to present circumstances, Torteria San Cosme will be closing its doors at Kensington Market indefinitely," reads an announcement on the restaurant's website. "From the bottom of our hearts, we thank our die hard T...orta fans for your following, our market neighbours for their friendship & to everyone who visited & supported our Torteria. We're not saying good bye, just yet, only hasta luego!" "Unfortunately I was forced to make the sad and very hard decision to let our Kensington market shop go. Under the present circumstances we were just not able to make the necessary level of sales, the pressure & stress has been overwhelming," says Arturo Anhalt, founder and chef at Milagro Cantinas and Torteria San Cosme. "San Cosme depended on high volumes more so in the weekends & during the summer, to make up for the slower weekdays & winter months. We literally lost our sales. The catastrophic combination of slower sales, delivery app fees, high rents and government restrictions have made it impossible for us to remain open." It's not the first iconic spot Kensington Market has lost: Moo Frites was a casualty of the pandemic as well. However, all is not lost for fans of San Cosme's layered, spicy torta sandwiches. "As of this coming weekend we're doing a virtual pop-up from our kitchen in Milagro on Mercer Street, taking orders online for pickup in our web page and through most of the better known food delivery and pickup apps," says Anhalt. "We are trying our hardest to get through this terrible situation." That means starting the weekend of October 16, if you've had a San Cosme torta craving for months, you should finally be able to satisfy it.

It's no secret that Toronto has been pretty fortunate so far this season in terms of the weather, especially compared to other parts of Canada that have already seen snow, but temperatures in the city are set to become a little more volatile as we move closer to the month of November. According to Environment Canada's seven-day forecast, temperatures are expected to swing by 18 C between Thursday and Friday this week. The federal weather agency is currently predicting a high... of 17 C for today with a low of 11 C overnight, and a similar high of 18 C is expected for Thursday with a 60 per cent chance of showers. Environment Canada's seven-day forecast The low for Thursday is meanwhile expected to be 6 C with a 40 per cent chance of showers, while Friday's temperatures should reach 12 C with lots of sun. The low on Friday, however, is currently forecasted to be a chilly and winter-like 1 C, meaning temperatures between Thursday afternoon and Friday night are expected to dip by as much as 18 C. Fortunately, meteorologists are predicting a high of 13 C with sun for Saturday, bringing temperatures right back up to seasonal just in time for the weekend.

While the spread of COVID-19 has limited Halloween celebrations in Toronto this year, that doesn't mean you can't partake in the spooky season by getting creative with your pumpkin carving skills. For example, many are using the occasion to show their love for the city with some pretty impressive Toronto-themed pumpkins. Although the Toronto Maple Leafs often catch a lot of hate, there's no doubt that Torontonians will stick by them no matter what (...for the most part) and ...these pumpkins prove it. pic.twitter.com/rZpLqv3Kfi chris o'lantern (@chrisgilfoy) October 26, 2020 And nothing says "I love Toronto" more than a Raptors or We the North pumpkin. Tag us in your sports pumpkin carvings! #baronrings #baronchampionshiprings #baron2020 #halloween #pumpkin #carving #spooky #sports #raptors #ring #championship #basketball @timandsid pic.twitter.com/jNgnMkcB8T Baron Championship Rings (@BaronRings) October 27, 2020 However, as anyone living in Toronto knows, one of the spookiest sights in the city is when a shuttle bus must be used. a toronto themed halloween pumpkin this year pic.twitter.com/mtVGrfQk2O Zee STAY 2M AWAY FROM ME (@zeekayart) October 27, 2020 Perhaps one of the best representations of the city, though, is this raccoon inside a pumpkin. Happy #NationalPumpkinDay from the master of all tricks Elora, Fergus and Micro #raccoonnation pic.twitter.com/2Ykam7XEqx The Toronto BOO (@TheTorontoZoo) October 26, 2020 Or a raccoon in a trash can carved on a pumpkin. . @Giverdada carved our #toronto pumpkin #racoon in your garbage. pic.twitter.com/An1bSpdRuc julie toole (@julie_toole) October 31, 2014 Maybe you just want to show some love for your favourite Toronto artist, like The Weeknd. i carved an after hours pumpkin @theweeknd look pic.twitter.com/n1aVinYsJ8 leese (@fourseazns) October 24, 2020 And there's no forgetting Drake, of course. Look at this awesome #Drake inspired pumpkin from Fedy Sciori. Four more days for the #MetroArtsChallenge #Toronto! https://t.co/KMqDh64bGc pic.twitter.com/fmHgi7rROU Genna Buck (@genna_buck) October 24, 2016 Last but certainly not least is this beautiful pumpkin depicting Toronto's iconic skyline. #Toronto #halloween2019 #torontoskylinepumpkin#trickortreat #tdot#cntower #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/4hbSD4DzbW KeithMac (@keithmac_idk) October 30, 2019 Although Halloween may not be the same in 2020, there are many ways you can still celebrate at home, and carving pumpkins is just one of them.

A global pandemic may be all it took to pop one historically-lucrative segment of Toronto's housing bubble... or at least deflate it slightly. Condominium apartment prices appear to be falling in the City of Toronto at a consistent rate for the first time in years as work-at-homers flee the downtown core for larger, cheaper living spaces and investors try to ditch their depreciating ghost hotels. Fortunately for the real estate market as a whole, detached homes are more than ...Continue reading

Drake is celebrating more life in Toronto with his son Adonis, who recently turned three years-old. The rapstar posted a picture to his Instagram yesterday of him posing with Adonis in his Toronto mansion, surrounded by balloons. View this post on Instagram... Young Stunna. A post shared by champagnepapi (@champagnepapi) on Oct 11, 2020 at 4:34pm PDT Oh, to be a three-year-old again (read: the offspring of a wealthy celebrity). Drake, who only posted photos of his son for the first time earlier this year, is evidently getting more comfortable sharing pics of his son for his fans to see. It feels like only yesterday the rapper admitted to his son's existence following Push T's diss track. How time flies. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sophie Brussaux (@sophieknowsbetter) on Oct 10, 2020 at 9:02pm PDT Adonis' mother Sophie Brussaux also shared a photo of her son in an adorable space suit on her personal Instagram. "We did that @champagnepapi," tagging Drake. Wholesome content right there.

Though there may not be any trick-or-treating going on in Toronto this Halloween okay, there may be a bit a whole lot of residents are still keeping the spooky spirit alive by decorating their homes. Many of the displays that people have spotted around the city have been clever, unique and frankly hilarious: Image from the Junction neighbourhood via Valerie Gow on Facebook.... While some have been just plain creepy: The biggest trend this year, though, seems to be a topical satire of the shitshow that 2020 has been. This person used their display to comment on U.S. politics, with the presidential election coming up in just a few days: Scary Halloween -Trumpty Melania and mystery guest- Westminster Ave, Toronto pic.twitter.com/buaAywLnpU Wendy Mitton (@WendyMitton) October 26, 2020 While this one used theirs to comment on proper face mask etiquette: Some are mourning the loss of all of the normal life things we haven't been able to partake in this year: This Halloween display in Toronto sums things up pretty well. pic.twitter.com/phJEi5OOEr christopher mitchell (@travelingmitch) October 21, 2020 While others are commemorating the failures of our sports teams, who had just as bad of a year as the rest of us: Happy Halloween Toronto! I think my neighbour is still pretty pissed at the leafs. pic.twitter.com/sYGStayULg Freddie Rivas (@FreddieRivas) October 27, 2020 One of the best displays shared online is this one, showing a group of masked skeletons trying desperately to escape from a dreaded SARS-CoV-2 virion: And ones that use unique ways to deliver treats to kids, such as the newly-popular candy chute, are pretty awesome, too: Others came up with even more creative ideas, like candy picking from a tree: Whether citizens are planning on following the advice of health officials to abstain from distributing candy this year or are planning on defying them, it's nice to see the entire community getting into the season and keeping things as festive as they possibly can be for this undoubtedly bizarre iteration of Halloween.

If there's anything Toronto is known for, it's the brutal traffic that plagues the city at all hours of the day forcing motorists to sit idle for lenthy periods and leading to far too many collisions and pedestrian deaths. In an attempt to improve driving conditions in the city, because it's clear an improvement is desperately needed, Mayor John Tory announced a new action plan today "to help manage congestion and build a more resilient, modern and safe transportation syst...Continue reading

Toronto's Armenian community is demonstrating and speaking out in light of the ongoing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and they're demanding that the federal government take swift action against Turkey's alleged involvement in the violence. Protestors marched through Toronto last Friday to show support and solidarity for those suffering in Armenia and Artsakh, and they called on the government to condemn the military agression that has been ongoing for several weeks ...Continue reading

Halloween is just over two weeks away, and while the pandemic threatens to ruin the best time of the year for kids everywhere, some residents are trying to come up with safe and socially distant ways to keep the holiday alive. Candy sticking is one suggestion that has gained a lot of traction online due to the fact that it is no-contact and adds in a new layer of fun, but there is another idea that has become popular in at least one Toronto neighbourhood. A candy chute! I lov...e it! #Halloween2020 pic.twitter.com/Qw0YFlIpm4 ptabbiner design + illustration (@ptabbiner) October 13, 2020 Geoff Burke, who is known in some of the city's community Facebook groups for posting plumbing tips in a series he calls How NOT to Call the Plumber, is among those who have proposed the "candy chute" or "candy slide," an amusing way to get goodies to trick-or-treaters while still keeping the threat of COVID-19 in mind this year. Burke has taken it one step further by turning the concept into a fundraiser, asking locals to donate much-needed funds to the Daily Bread Food Bank in exchange for a custom chute that he and his company Watermark Plumbing Services will provide and install. "We've decided to put our plumbing skills to good use (outside of your home this time). We are trying to give twice in this campaign: First, providing much needed support for the Daily Bread Food Bank in these critical times, and second, helping to facilitate a safer Halloween!" Burke wrote in an Annex Facebook group over the weekend. "For a minimum $25 donation, we are going to be running around the neighbourhood, providing and installing decorated candy chutes on the railings outside of the homes of anyone who would like one! We hope to help provide a safe way to trick-or-treat this year, while also giving back to the community." Since posting about the initiative, Burke and his team have apparently received such a huge response from nearly 300 people, an update says that they've had to close requests for the time being. But, the mechanism is definitely simple enough to construct and decorate for anyone who is still eager to celebrate spooky season. Commenters on the thread have raved about what a cute and fantastic idea the festive little slides are, saying that "Halloween is saved!" t-shirt gun full of candy also the candy has tiny parachutes Roberto Baldwin (@strngwys) October 13, 2020 Other quirky ideas that have been proposed to save Halloween 2020 include using tongs to dispense candy into the hands of costumed young'ns, spacing out bags of sweets on a blanket or table, and building what the Alberta government refers to as a "candy catapult".

The Durham Catholic District School Board has launched an official investigation with the local police after a student's intended yearbook bio was replaced with a blatantly racist message and distributed to the entire student body. Joshua Telemaque is a student at St. Mary Catholic Secondary School in Pickering, and he intended to honour his late grandmother in his yearbook message by writing "RIP Grandma. Thank you for guiding me through my four years of high school." But in...Continue reading