3 h. ago Iconic Toronto Star building to be transformed into new hotel

The former Toronto Star building at 1 Yonge St. has been spared from demolition, at least for now.The 1970-built office tower that has been without an anchor tenant for three years will be converted into a hotel as part of a transformative redevelopment currently taking over the skyline.Developer Pinnacle International announced on Monday that it had filed plans with the City of Toronto to convert the 25-storey office tower into a hotel, with 468 guest rooms, a new grand lobby, and a ballroom.The Toronto Star building was home to its namesake newspaper for 50 years, vacating in 2022 for new digs a few kilometres to the west at The Well.Pinnacle notes that a designer and hotel operator have not yet been selected, but intends to "bring the building's existing character into dialogue with the new Pinnacle One Yonge towers."Previously targeted for demolition — with permits even filed ahead of its widely-anticipated teardown — the building is now targeted for a ...

Other

7 h. ago Plan to transform Toronto office building into huge tower slapped down by City

An ambitious plan to plop a tower on top of an existing office building has been slapped down by planners.The late 2021 proposal from Slate Asset Management, seeking to add new levels above the Modernist-style 1968-built Padulo Building at 1 St. Clair W., has hit a snag. A new report recommends that City Council refuse the proposed 49-storey development, throwing a wrench in the Gensler-designed development.And the impending refusal actually has nothing to do with height.First tabled in December 2021, the plan calls for the current 12-storey office building to be retained, expanded, and modernized, while two neighbouring low-rises at 11 and 13 St. Clair W. — home to Shenanigans Pub and a Pizzaiolo location — would be razed to make way for the new building.The office building would be renovated and expanded, while the two retail properties on the right would be torn down. Image via Google Street View.However, a Nov. 10 report recommending refusal of the project cuts the p...

Other

9 h. ago Everything happening at CF Toronto Eaton Centre this holiday season

November in Toronto marks the beginning of the holiday season, when the city comes alive with festive vibes and magic.To help make the city shine extra bright, CF Toronto Eaton Centre is launching a whole spectrum of holiday programming. From the beloved Christmas tree light and snow shows to live musical performances and all of your shopping needs, this is where you'll want to be this season.Grab your Santa hat and check out what holiday programming is happening at the CF Toronto Eaton Centre.Indoor holiday tree light and snow showsEveryone knows that Toronto's holiday season doesn't officially start until the CF Toronto Eaton Centre Christmas tree is glowing bright. Check out the annual tradition where the awe-inspiring 114-f00t-tall tree has already made its debut.Four festive animated light shows will rotate daily on the tree with accompanying music to get you in a holly jolly mood. Presented by PayPal Pay in 4, the light and s...

Society

34 h. ago London hospital leads first North American fermented food initiative

The Canadian Fermented Food Initiative will officially launch Monday, Nov. 17, at a conference in Toronto.

Science

3 d. ago Toronto's Distillery Winter Village warns of scam as Christmas market opens

Toronto's world-famous Distillery District Winter Village officially kicked off its Christmas countdown on Thursday, bringing lots of festive lights, local food vendors, and the highly anticipated lighting ceremony for its massive Christmas tree to the cobblestone streets of the former Gooderham & Worts distillery.While you may be eager to secure your tickets to the festive end-of-year tradition, there's an online scam that Christmas marketgoers need to be aware of this year.Social media users have flagged a website, "tochristmasmarket.com," which appears to be selling fake tickets to the Winter Village.A Reddit post highlighting the website received more than 305 upvotes and 50 comments before being deleted, with many users urging others to report the site as a phishing attempt to Google.Many flagged that tickets for the Distillery Winter Village are only sold through the official website, with general admission tickets running for $18.65 and express...

Culture

6 d. ago Toronto holiday tradition is officially dead but here are 5 fun replacements

Toronto's iconic holiday windows at Hudson's Bay are officially a thing of the past, but that doesn't mean you can't fill that hole in your holiday to-do list with another fun tradition.The themed window vignettes at the former department store's flagship location at Queen and Yonge were a beloved seasonal tradition, first halted by transit investment.What began as a temporary interruption — Ontario Line construction halted the displays in 2023 — quickly became permanent after the retail giant filed for credit protection and officially closed its Toronto flagship store earlier this year.With these beloved vignettes no longer part of Toronto's festive season, you may be looking for other traditions to fill the gap. Luckily, the city has plenty to offer this time of year.Here are five seasonal attractions to help you move on from the loss of the holiday windows at Hudson's Bay.Holiday at The WellThe Well's Nordic-inspired holiday m...

Society

6 d. ago Toronto's newest park is now open but don't get too attached to it

Toronto's newest park is officially open, but you might not want to get too attached to the freshly debuted public space at 50 Queens Quay East.Menkes Developments and the City of Toronto unveiled the new 10,000 square-metre park on Monday, Nov. 10, delivered as part of Menkes' Sugar Wharf community. The space introduces a new public amenity to the rapidly evolving eastern waterfront, though, in typical Toronto fashion, this park is set to be ripped up in the not-too-distant future to be replaced by… another park.This temporary nature is reflected in the space's name, "Park in Progress," and its minimalist look from landscape architect O2 Planning and Design.With a permanent replacement a few years down the road, this space was never envisioned to be a masterpiece. A few notches above purely utilitarian, it is intended for community use in the interim while plans are forged for a permanent destination for this site.Park features include vast ex...

Other

7 d. ago California university pension attempting to buy stake in Big Ten college sports conference

Chief investment officer of US$180 billion UC Investments fund tells Toronto audience that sports is 'cultural capital'

Sport

7 d. ago Imam council produces ‘symbols of terror’ guide for police, lawmakers

Document offers officials means of identifying terrorist symbols, flags, some commonly seen at Toronto anti-Israel rallies

Events

1 week ago How much money Bo Bichette is worth and will the Toronto Blue Jays pay it?

The Toronto Blue Jays and Bo Bichette are now officially on the clock.One of the most beloved players in recent team memory, Bichette appears set to hit free agency for the first time in his career.On Thursday, the Jays formally extended a standard qualifying offer to Bichette, though it's widely been reported he's expected to decline that offer and test out free agency.Why would Bichette turn down the Blue Jays' offer?For starters, it's a simple numbers game: Bichette's qualifying offer comes in at $22 million valuation for just one season, a number lower than his expected annual salary on any multi-year deal.It has nothing to do with his willingness to play in Toronto — which he's said on the record many times — but rather about his intent to sign a long-term deal in free agency, whether in Toronto or elsewhere.Free agency is officially open as of 5 p.m. ET on Thursday, Nov. 6.ESPN's Kiley McDaniel projects a deal of five years, $130 million...

Other

1 week ago Officer and tasered suspect ‘inadvertently’ run over by Toronto police cruiser during chaotic arrest

Dual knife-wielding woman was damaging vehicles in a shopping plaza parking lot and went on to damage three Toronto Police Service cruisers

Events

1 week ago Video shows Toronto police cruiser running over officer and tasered suspect during chaotic arrest

Dual knife-wielding woman was damaging vehicles in a shopping plaza parking lot and went on to damage three Toronto Police Service cruisers

Events

1 week ago Corpay and National Hockey League Announce Multiyear North American Partnership

Corpay Cross-Border Named the Official Foreign Exchange Provider of the National Hockey League TORONTO & NEW YORK — Corpay, Inc.* (NYSE: CPAY), a global leader in corporate payments and the National Hockey League (NHL®) today announced a multiyear North American partnership, naming Corpay’s Cross-Border business the Official Foreign Exchange (FX) Provider of the NHL. Through […]

Sport

1 week ago PUSH Media Expands into the U.S. with SCS Acquisition & Appoints Julie Berger as President, North America

Establishes a four-market North American presence to power the next generation of AI-driven, human-led marketing LOS ANGELES & TORONTO — PUSH Media Inc. today announced the acquisition of SCS (Schiefer Chopshop), marking the agency’s formal expansion into the United States with new offices in Los Angeles and Atlanta, alongside Canadian hubs in Toronto and Ottawa. […]

Other

2 w. ago Toronto police run over suspect wielding two knives in chaotic arrest video

A disturbing video circulating online shows a Toronto police arrest that went horribly wrong, and ended with an officer accidentally running over a person with their police SUV.The arrest, which occurred on Nov. 1 at Jane Park Plaza near Jane Street and Alliance Avenue, was captured by a bystander, and a video of the incident shows a chaotic encounter between police officers and a person holding two knives, who was reported to be damaging vehicles in the parking lot.In the video, the person can be seen walking around and stabbing at police car tires, as officers move in to corner the assailant. As the suspect begins to walk away, one officer deploys a taser, and a knife can be heard hitting the ground as police move in to apprehend the incapacitated perpetrator.Moments later, an officer driving the SUV steps out to assist, but fails to put the vehicle in park. The SUV then begins rolling forward and runs over the suspect and one of the officers.The officer then rushes back...

Events

2 w. ago Toronto police cruiser ‘inadvertently’ rolls onto tasered suspect, officer

A video circulating online appears to show an officer pointing a taser at a suspect in a parking lot near a Tim Hortons before firing it, as the suspect falls to the ground.

Events

2 w. ago George Brown College in Toronto is officially changing its name

George Brown College has announced a new name after 58 years, and will be officially redubbed George Brown Polytechnic (GBP).The institution announced the name change on Thursday morning, stating that the rebranding reflects the school's shift to adopt new career-focused programs. In a press release, GBP noted that "This change demonstrates our commitment to providing advanced educational opportunities and marks a new era in our institution's evolution."The centrepiece of this transition is George Brown's new Master of Construction Management (MCM) program, which will help build up future leaders of the country's construction workforce. GBP describes the launch of this program as a "powerful signal of change during this transition."Dr. Gervan Fearon, President of George Brown Polytechnic, stated that "This transformation is not just a name change; it signifies our commitment to advancing education and workforce readiness." &quo...

Other

2 w. ago Toronto's Budweiser Stage just got a new name and will soon transform

Toronto's Budweiser Stage has officially been renamed, officially taking on the new name of RBC Amphitheatre effective immediately.The renaming was announced by Live Nation and RBC on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, ending a seven-year run under the Budweiser branding, and a 30-year streak of sponsorship by major brewers.Budweiser is actually the second beer brand to sponsor the venue, which opened as the Molson Amphitheatre in 1995, was renamed Molson Canadian Amphitheatre in 2010, and rebranded again as Budweiser Stage in 2018.The RBC sponsorship is just the first step in what will ultimately be a full-scale transformation of the venue into an all-season facility by 2030. This will require an almost two-year closure of the venue for renovations from fall 2027 to summer 2029, when it will reopen as a temporary summer-only concert venue as renovations continue into the following year.The forthcoming transformation is a key component in the province's controversial reimagining of Ont...

Other

2 w. ago Toronto cafe that started in a trailer finally opens permanent location

A side hustle has officially turned into a full-fledged business for one pair of Toronto sisters-in-law as they officially open their first permanent location.In-laws tend to get a bad rap, but in the case of Sister Sister Coffee Bar co-founders Kinzie and Olivia, becoming family through marriage created a bond that extends far beyond family get-togethers.According to Kinzie and Olivia, their connection first began to bloom when they both moved to Toronto in 2021, bonding over their shared love of coffee.Over many coffee dates, the wheels started turning: what if, instead of trying new cafes all the time, they simply started their own? Come June of 2024, the question ceased to be hypothetical: their very own mobile cafe, Sister Sister, officially hitting the road.    View this post on Instagram           A post shared by Sister Sister Coffee Bar (@sistersistercoffeebar)Holding court at Fort York dur...

Sport

3 w. ago Toronto's Gardiner Expressway officially reopens 18 months ahead of schedule

Monday morning's commute for drivers in Toronto was, for once, a breeze thanks to the reopening of all six lanes on the Gardiner Expressway between Dufferin Street and Strachan Avenue, which occurred approximately 18 months ahead of the original construction timeline.The long-awaited reopening happened on Monday morning just before rush hour, following a weekend closure that began after the conclusion of Game 2 of the World Series hosted at the Rogers Centre on Saturday night.Originally anticipated to finish in April 2027, the Gardiner's construction between Dufferin Street and Strachan Avenue was revealed to be way ahead of schedule earlier this year. Back in September, city manager Paul Johnson confirmed that construction on the portion of the 60-year-old would potentially wrap up by the end of 2025, months ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.The accelerated timeline was thanks to an investment of $73 million from the Ontario government, which permitted round-the-clock w...

Other