3 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...

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3 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...

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3 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...

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6 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

10 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.

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10 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

10 h. ago Conflit de travail chez Air Canada: Ottawa ne compte pas réagir pour l’instant

Le gouvernement de Mark Carney ne compte pas s’ingérer dans le conflit de travail à Air Canada pour l’instant.

Other

10 h. ago Travel chaos starts for passengers impacted by Air Canada labour dispute

The Ottawa International Airport Authority said it was continuing to monitor the situation and advised those with Air Canada bookings to confirm the flight status online "in anticipation of disruptions beginning Aug. 16."

Culture

11 h. ago SNOBELEN: Loss and humiliation should spur Poilievre to be better

Prime Minister Poilievre? Next week, the good people of Battle River-Crowfoot will elect a new member of Parliament and the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) can get back to worrying about the future. Pierre Poilievre will easily win this election and make his return to the tranquillity of Ottawa. Then, the real battle will begin. […]

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12 h. ago Les 80 ans de la fin de la Deuxième Guerre mondiale commémorés à Ottawa

Le conflit a coûté la vie à plus de 45 000 Canadiens.

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12 h. ago Youth charged with drug, weapons offences after Ottawa traffic stop

Ottawa police say a youth faces a long list of drug- and firearm-related offences following a traffic stop early Thursday. In a news release, the Ottawa Police Service said West Neighbourhood Resource Team officers conducted a traffic stop in the 1400 block of Carling Avenue just after midnight. While talking with the person, officers spotted […]

Events

12 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.

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13 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...

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13 h. ago China files complaint with World Trade Organization over Canadian steel tariffs

OTTAWA — China is taking its dispute with Canada over steel tariffs to the World Trade Organization. Beijing filed a complaint Friday with the WTO in response to Canadian restrictions on imports that contain steel melted or poured in China. Prime Minister Mark Carney announced last month that he was imposing the 25 per cent […]

Economics

13 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...

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13 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

13 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...

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14 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

14 h. ago Update: Ottawa man arrested after shot fired at Gatineau home

Police were called at about 6 a.m. after a man allegedly fired a shot at a residence in the Hull sector.

Events

15 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...

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