10 h. ago What the Toronto Eaton Centre looked like when it was under construction

The CF Toronto Eaton Centre might be the place where you now shop for holiday gifts, back-to-school sales, and vacation outfits, but what many people don't know is the complex history behind its construction. Before it became Canada's busiest mall, the Eaton Centre was actually the focus of contentious public debates, major architectural innovation and a dramatic transformation of downtown Toronto's streetscape in the 1970s. The shopping centre occupies land once owned almost entirely by the Eaton's department chain, which had revolutionized the Canadian retail industry after its founding by Timothy Eaton in the 19th century. View of the Eaton Centre construction in 1975. Photo: City of Toronto Archives.By the mid-20th century, Eaton's owned most of the land bounded by Yonge, Queen, Bay and Dundas streets, excluding Old City Hall and the Church of the Holy Trinity. However, as operations continued to move to suburban locations in the 1960s, Ea...

Other

10 h. ago Ontario’s largest farm of its kind lets you hang out with fluffy mini highland cows

An Ontario farm is now offering what may be the most painfully adorable, Insta-worthy experience that any animal lover will be champing at the bit to take part in: meet-and-greet sessions with cute, furry miniature highland cows.Hinterland Estate is Ontario's largest farm exclusively raising mini Highland cows, a rare breed of cattle that you can get up close and personal with upon your visit.Located just under two hours from Toronto in St. Anns, which is in the Niagara region, Hinterland has specialized in raising and showcasing Mini Highland Cows for years, offering chances for people to come interact with the creatures, and even stay overnight on the property. Your experience kicks off in a luxury mini home, where you'll be served refreshments — a different menu is available based on the time of day you arrive — paired with picturesque views of a peaceful pond and grazing cows. Then, yo...

Other

10 h. ago Canada's oldest annual fair is in Ontario but it's not the CNE

Friday marks the kickoff of this year's Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), thought of as the biggest, best and most legendary festival in all of Canada.While the annual 18-day event replete with classic midway rides, nostalgic carnival games and more ostentatious snacks than you could ever imagine does boast a long, rich history at a whopping 146 years old, it is not actually the oldest of its kind in the country.That title belongs to a far lesser-known fair well outside Toronto in historic Williamstown, Ontario.Just under four hours' drive from the big city, this quaint little town of less than 500 people is the sort of place one might simply pass by on the way to somewhere else.But, it is home to a handful of sites well worthy of visiting, especially for history buffs — including the eponymous grounds where the Williamstown Fair takes place each August.Founded all the way back in 1808 and brought to its current location i...

Other

10 h. ago U.S. tourist gives Toronto rave review and here's what they loved

When you're caught up in the grind of everyday life, it's easy to forget how great Toronto really is, but sometimes, all it takes is a fresh perspective to fall back in love with the place we call home. Last year, over 26.5 million visitors made their way to Toronto, contributing a massive $8.8 billion in spending and leading to a total economic impact of $13 billion. However, beyond those impressive numbers, there are always personal stories — such as one recently shared to Reddit that reminds us locals why the city continues to draw so many people in. The post on the Toronto subreddit from an American visitor has gone viral, racking up over 1,500 upvotes and more than 200 comments. It comes from a Louisville, Kentucky resident who recently visited the city with their family. "I know there are several other threads in this Toronto subreddit from Americans who visit there and are impressed. So I hope you can a...

Society

12 h. ago 12 kayakers rescued by RCMP in U.S. waters off Washington state

RCMP patrol guarding the shores of the Peace Arch border responded quickly, locating the group, which included six adults and six children.

Sport

16 h. ago Mandy's Gourmet Salads opens up first Ottawa location in the Glebe

The Montreal-based chain opened its first location in Ottawa, and was greeted with long lineups on its first day.

Other

16 h. ago Temporary memorial for Lapu Lapu Festival victims being moved next week

Items at the roadside memorial will be moved by city staff to the new location. The city said anyone who wishes to retrieve items from the memorial can do so before Wednesday.

Events

17 h. ago Water Ways Announces Effective Date of Share Consolidation and Provides Corporate Update

TORONTO, Aug. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Water Ways Technologies Inc. (TSXV: WWT) (“Water Ways” or the “Company”), is pleased to announce that further to its news release dated June 18, 2025, the Company has received final acceptance from the TSX Venture Exchange (the “TSXV”) of the consolidation of its outstanding common shares (the “Common Shares”) […]

Other

18 h. ago Air Canada points finger at staff for flight cancellations amid strike talks

Air Canada continues its preemptive cancellations ahead of a possible flight attendants' strike, and Canadians are pissed.After failed negotiations at the bargaining table, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents 10,000 flight attendants at Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge, provided notice that it plans to begin a strike as early as 1 a.m. EDT on Saturday, Aug. 16.In response, the carrier issued a 72-hour lockout notice and began cancelling flights on Thursday, continuing into Friday, with plans for a complete pause of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights on Saturday, Aug. 16.According to the carrier, as of noon EDT on Friday, 294 flights have been cancelled and 55,726 travellers have been impacted.On Thursday, the carrier shared a statement on social media that has Canadians and some of its customers unimpressed."CUPE, Air Canada's flight attendants’ union, rejects agreement to fly Canadians home. As a result, 25,000 ...

Other

18 h. ago Alberta RCMP arrest woman accused of refusing to return stolen horse

The RCMP in Alberta are asking the public for help recovering a stolen horse that they have been unable to located, despite charging a woman with stealing the animal.

Other

19 h. ago Whole Foods in Toronto having huge closing sale with steep grocery discounts

In case you haven't heard the news, next week will mark the end for two Toronto locations of U.S. grocery chain Whole Foods.The company, known worldwide for its fresh, organic produce and health-focused products, will be permanently closing the doors of its 4771 Yonge St. and 1860 Bayview Ave. stores, the former of which opened in 2014 and the latter, in 2017.Staff were allegedly told of their impending layoffs on the morning of Friday, Aug. 15, soon after which chatter about the developments started up on social media.A representative for Whole Foods has since confirmed the shutdowns to blogTO, saying that the two aforementioned shops will be open until Aug. 22.Given that there's only a week left of their operations, this means that there will also be a closing sale — which is actually set to be pretty massive, we've been told.The blowout events will begin at both locations on Saturday, Aug. 16, when customers will be able to nab products for 50 per...

Other

20 h. ago Solar Shares Rise as Trump Hit to Tax Credits Softer Than Feared

Clean energy stocks soared after the Trump administration released new guidance on eligibility requirements for tax credits that weren’t as punitive as the industry had feared.

Economics

20 h. ago Spirit Halloween already opening stores in Ontario in the middle of summer

It might only be mid-August, but it seems Halloween fanatics in Ontario are already gearing up for the spooky season. Although the autumn holiday is still 77 days away, American retailer Spirit Halloween has prematurely begun opening stores across the province, which, depending on where you fall on the Halloween-loving spectrum, could be considered either exciting or early to a fault. As expected, the early rollout already sparked elation (and an equal amount of confusion), with costume planning apparently well underway for a large portion of shoppers.     View this post on Instagram           A post shared by Spirit Halloween (@spirithalloween)As of Aug. 15, locations now open include Spirit Halloween on King Street and in North York, Erin Mills, Bramalea City, Stoney Creek, Upper James, and Niagara Falls.More stores are expected to open later this month in areas like St Clair A...

Other

20 h. ago AGCO orders immediate suspension of North Bay’s Max Multi Mart’s lottery and alcohol licences in response to human trafficking charges

TORONTO, Aug. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued an immediate Order of Suspension of the lottery retail registration and alcohol sales licence for Max Multi Mart, located at 610 Lakeshore Drive in North Bay, Ontario. This action follows criminal charges laid against Hiteshkumar Patel, the owner […]

Culture

20 h. ago Grocery giant reveals it's opening a new store in Toronto amid closure of two others

Whole Foods, the health-focused supermarket chain with somewhat of a cult following, has just confirmed the closure of two of its Toronto stores — but, alongside the less-positive news, the company has shared that it will be opening a new outpost in the city to make up for it.Staff at the Leaside and Yonge-Sheppard locations of the American purveyor of organic, good-for-you groceries and pre-made meals found out early on Friday morning that their workplaces were set to close later this month; on August 22, to be exact, a Whole Foods spokesperson confirmed to blogTO after our initial reporting on what were, earlier this morning, just rumours."Like any retail business, we regularly evaluate each of our stores and make decisions to position the company for long-term success," a company representative told us over email around 11 a.m."We are committed to supporting all impacted team members and making any transition as seamless as possible, and l...

Other

20 h. ago AGCO orders immediate suspension of Longtooth Beverage Company liquor licences after owner charged with trafficking cocaine, other drugs

TORONTO, Aug. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has taken action to immediately suspend the licence of Longtooth Beverage Company, located at 429 West Front Street in Stirling, Ontario. This action comes in response to charges laid by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) against Lucas Ferrill, Longtooth’s owner […]

Economics

21 h. ago Beloved Toronto business shuts down with special City recognition after over 30 years

A long-standing Toronto institution is set to close its doors after some thirty years, but it isn't going without a little recognition.Owners of Roula & Thomas Hair Salon at 2305 Queen Street East are hanging up their shears more than three decades after opening their doors to the Beaches neighbourhood.A post made to a community Facebook group for the area on Wednesday flagged the closure, citing it as a major loss for locals. It stated that the small business's doors will be locked forever at the end of August."It comes with a heavy heart to share this news, and it feels, for many of us, as if someone has died," reads the post.A post to a Beaches community Facegroup group on Wednesday shared the heartbreaking news of the closure.A truly remarkable run for a small business, the dynamic duo of Greek immigrants Thomas and Roula has long been a community stalwart, always offering a cup of coffee or helpful adv...

Economics

21 h. ago Group of top Toronto mixologists are opening a unique new cocktail bar

A group of former mixologists from high-profile Toronto bars are teaming up to start their own venture, but they're not doing it alone.Cocktail bars have long been staples on the Toronto culinary landscape, and it's not hard to understand why.They're sleek, they're chic, they're dimly lit. Whether sought out as a date location or a post-date rendezvous point to debrief with your friends, there's a conspiratorial air about the cocktail bar that's downright irresistible.The only hang-up comes when the cocktail bar in question is too sleek and chic (read: uptight) to actually allow you to have fun.Lonely Diner, the latest venture from a team of notable mixologists, bar managers and restaurateurs, though, blows the lid off the hoity-toity cocktail bar stereotype, opting instead for something that'll feel comfortable and familiar, while still undeniably stylish.In Lonely Diner, you can expect a vibe akin to a cozy, wood-panelled 1970s basement, b...

Other

23 h. ago African Rainbow Minerals Limited to Acquire Shares of Surge Copper Corp.

TORONTO, Aug. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — African Rainbow Minerals Limited (JSE: ARI) (A2X: ARI) (“ARM”) announces that it has signed a subscription agreement agreeing to purchase 25,781,715 common shares (“Common Shares”) of Surge Copper Corp. (“Surge”) at a price of C$0.175 per Common Share for total consideration of approximately C$4,511,800.13 (the “Subscription Agreement”) pursuant […]

Other

23 h. ago Fewer firms report U.S. tariff hit as manufacturing sales edge up in June

OTTAWA — Statistics Canada says manufacturing sales edged up June and a smaller share of firms reported an impact from U.S. tariffs. The agency said Friday that manufacturing sales in June rose 0.3 per cent to $68.5 billion, breaking a streak of four consecutive monthly declines. Petroleum and coal sales increased 11.8 per cent to […]

Economics