38 h. ago Massive fireworks show to light up Toronto skies for major festival next week

Toronto is gearing up for a huge celebration as Diwali - Festival of Lights returns to the city, complete with ethnic bites, a diverse lineup of vendors and artists, and, of course, an enormous fireworks display. This year, attendees can expect over 1,000 artists — both local and international — to grace the stage with live dance shows and musical performances. Although the international appearances are still under wraps, last year the festival featured Mumbai Troupers and Bollywood actor Omi Vaidya. So, if these appearances are anything to go by, then this year's special guests should be something to look forward to.Of course, a Diwali event also means an abundance of South Asian food. Street food vendors, such as Toronto Tikki Co. and Uncle Omelet, as well as fusion food vendors like Fukrey Indian Bistro and Streetside Munchies, will set up shop at this two-day festival.    View this post on Instagram     ...

Events

62 h. ago What a $5 million Toronto interior designer's home looks like

If houses could flirt, 239 Borden St. would wink at you from across the street, pull you inside, and then casually drop the fact that it has a 400-bottle wine cellar, rooftop hot tub, and stained glass windows from 1878. We're already blushing.  Professionally rebuilt by designer and owner Lyndsay Jacobs, the house was taken down to its bones — leaving only the original front façade intact — before being transformed into a four-storey showcase of craftsmanship, function, and character.The project wrapped up in July 2023, and it has already been celebrated with a House & Home "House of the Month" feature and featured in Beta Publishing's Timeless Living.The front of the house. Although, to be fair, we'd expect nothing less from a designer's own home. The living room. Inside, the first thing that strikes you is the mix of history and modernity.A powder room with a Red Alicante marbl...

Economics

7 d. ago 11 houses across from Toronto park could be torn down for pair of large towers

A substantial development proposed for a pocket of low-rise housing across the street from Toronto's High Park could see 11 houses torn down to make way for a pair of towers with unique, curving exteriors.Developer Elysium has assembled the group of houses fronting Oakmount Rd. and Mountview Ave., just north of Bloor St. W. and northwest of the TTC's High Park subway station.Elysium hopes to gain approval to rezone and raze the site with a plan to construct a large-scale rental development with towers rising 41 and 39 storeys in place of the current homes.The plan features a striking design from Teeple Architects that would strongly contrast the expanse of beige-brown 20th-century apartment towers that dominate the local skyline, boasting curved facades clad in a distinctive patterned treatment.With heights as tall as almost 145 metres, the towers would be significantly taller than existing apartment towers in the neighbourhood. However, unlike the condo towers that tend to ...

Other

1 week ago WARMINGTON: What was with the guy assembling a rifle on a Toronto street?

At first glance it looked like a mass shooting was about to go down. The terrifying security footage from a local store not only shows a man assembling a long gun at a busy Toronto corner, but also raises the question of just what was the plan there? Was there a target in mind? And […]

Other

1 week ago One person dead after loose wheel strikes vehicle on highway in St. Catharines, Ont.

Police say in a social media video that the collision happened in the Toronto-bound lanes of the highway, just east of Niagara Street.

Events

1 week ago Toronto intersections to shut down this fall and disrupt busiest TTC streetcar route

Toronto streetcar service on King Street will be impacted by two major intersection closures on opposite ends of the city this fall, so if you regularly depend on the busy 504 route, you might want to set aside some extra time for your commute.The TTC and the City of Toronto will be closing the intersections of Dufferin Street and King Street West, as well as Broadview Avenue and Queen Street East, this fall, with the former shutdown slated for October and the latter closure starting as early as Sept. 29. According to the City, the two shutdowns are necessary for state-of-good-repair work to upgrade aging track infrastructure. As a result of the Dufferin and King closure, streetcars will divert via Queen between Roncesvalles and Shaw Street, and service will be replaced by shuttle buses east of the Distillery Loop. Construction at Dufferin and King is set to begin as early as next Monday and is expected to run until mid-November 2025, according to the City's websi...

Transport

2 w. ago Dragon's Den star's family chapel in Ontario is back on the market for $6M

While GTA real estate has given us plenty of delulu moments over the past decade, this property at 7788 Yonge St. might just win the grand prize.The modest two-bedroom, two-bathroom bungalow in Vaughan is currently listed for a jaw-dropping $6,188,000.Yes, you read that right. Over. Six. Million. Dollars.The foyer. The listing tries to pitch it as a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" surrounded by multi-million-dollar estates, but let's be real — it's basically an average house that backs onto one of the busiest streets in the city.The living room. Even more absurd? This place first hit the market in 2024 for an eye-watering $8 million before sliding to $6.8 million earlier this year, and now to its current (still totally bonkers) price tag.A bedroom. For context: the average home in the area sells for about $1.6 million, and the most expensive recent sale was just over $5 million. So it would seem this listing isn't just ...

Economics

2 w. ago Landmark Toronto century house for sale at $4 million or you could just rent it

Why has one of the most unique properties in downtown Toronto been sitting on the market for nearly two years?That's the question hanging over 17 Isabella Street, the historic mansion near Yonge and Bloor that seems tailor-made for investors, yet has struggled to secure its next chapter.Known as the William Britton House, the 1885 landmark offers almost 6,500 square feet of space in one of the city's most coveted neighbourhoods with endless options for transformation. One of two boardrooms in the house. The City has zoned it residential, while MPAC classifies it as a commercial condominium. That flexibility opens the door to all sorts of possibilities — from a boutique multi-unit rental to a one-of-a-kind private residence or an innovative mixed-use space.An office with leaded windows and a brass chandelier. Plus, the house itself comes with no shortage of character. Designed by Dr. William Britton, a well-respected physician and former pr...

Economics

2 w. ago New Toronto restaurant serves Korean street food staple you might not know about

A new Korean restaurant in Toronto is serving up a special street food dish that many others in the city don't have.Korean food is everywhere you look in Toronto and, more often than not, it's really, really good. All too often, though, it tends to conform to the tried-and-true formulas.There's nothing wrong with playing it safe, of course: if it works, it works, but it does make it all the more exciting when a more novel concept pops up. Just look at the utter pandemonium caused by the opening of North York's Nakwon Kisa earlier this summer.People in Toronto are hungry for Korean food; that much is obvious, but more than that, they've got an appetite for restaurants that put unique spins on the cuisine.The latest Korean restaurant to capture the hearts and stomachs of Toronto diners is Koreatown's Mura Cupbop, which serves what it describes as "comfort food in a cup."Officially opening for business on Sept. 2, Mura Cupbop serves — you guessed...

Other

3 w. ago Two men charged in two separate Toronto demonstrations outside Jewish events

Two different Toronto demonstrations, a day apart, saw two different protestors charged. The first instance occurred on Wednesday at Roy Thomson Hall at the screening of the documentary, The Road Between Us. The event drew both pro-Palestinian protestors and pro-Israeli counter-protestors, resulting in a man was arrested at King Street West and Simcoe. Toronto Police allege […]

Other

3 w. ago A $3 million home is one of the largest on this coveted Toronto street

Do you want the house tour? 20 Fairview Boulevard is a 4,000 square foot slice of heaven. Come on in!This distinguished three-storey home sits in the sought-after neighbourhood of Riverdale, which offers the best of both worlds: the serene exclusivity of the suburbs with the ultimate urban convenience of being just steps from Broadview Station.To enter, you'll step through a beautiful enclosed brick front porch, complete with a slate floor and double-hung chicory wood-clad windows. Morning coffee probably tastes extra delicious watching the sun rise from this cozy alcove.All this, and we're not even inside yet!Inside, you're met with a large foyer featuring a coat closet, a glimmering powder room, and a splendid oak staircase that leads to the upper floors and basement.The living room boasts a large bay window and a zero-clearance radiant gas fireplace, setting the perfect scene for the cozy fall and winter evenings ahead.There's so much you ...

Economics

3 w. ago Stunning Toronto tower proposal is 4 times as tall as last plan for same site

A long-dead proposal to redevelop a heritage church property in Toronto has resurfaced, only much larger than what was planned for the site just four years earlier.The major redevelopment scheme would see a breathtaking tower sprout from the 1887-built St Luke's United Church at the corner of Sherbourne and Carlton, planned to rise 48 storeys and reshape the local skyline in the process.Positioned at the junction of two busy TTC routes, the site is primed for intensification, though the scale being sought might raise some eyebrows in the community.Developer Kindred Works' application for 353-355 Sherbourne Street features a design from KPMB Architects, incorporating heritage retention work from ERA Architects, which would feature a dramatic mid-section between the tower and heritage base, boasting sweeping arches that create a dialogue between the old and new volumes.The current plan would preserve the original 1887 church and the attached 1912-built Sunday School, and ...

Other

3 w. ago Massive free outdoor festival will shut down major Toronto street this weekend

Toronto is gearing up for the 29th annual Bloor West Village Toronto Ukrainian Festival, billed as "North America's largest Ukrainian street festival."One of the last big street festivals of the summer is set to shut down a stretch of the major thoroughfare this coming weekend. This three-day celebration brings together music, dance, food, and culture right in the heart of the Bloor West Village neighbourhood.Over 50 artists — international and local — will perform across multiple stages over the course of the event, including the headliner, Ukrainian singer and actress Masha Kondratenko.Aside from the performances and special appearances, the grounds will also feature the Ukrainian Village Refreshments Garden, where you can listen to traditional tunes and sip on beverages courtesy Featherstone Winery and Nickel Brook Brewing. This small beer garden serves as a separate refreshment area, distinct from the rest of the festival's ...

Politics

3 w. ago Toronto festivalgoers share the most overrated and underrated things about TIFF

The Toronto International Film Festival is in full swing, celebrating 50 years of the star-studded cinema extravaganza.And with years of festivals under their belts, fans lining Festival Street in downtown Toronto didn't hold back when given a chance to weigh in on what's overrated and underrated about the festival in 2025.Some of the overrated things festivalgoers pointed to this year include celebrity watching — did someone say, "Celebrity culture is dead"? Eek! — popcorn not being free, and the typical grumbles about ticket resale prices. On the underrated side, people mentioned things like the freebies, the long lines (I can't imagine this being fun, but to each their own), the world premieres, and more. Everyone loves the energy and vibe of this time of year, and while one could argue that there's something at TIFF for everyone, others had some strong opinions about elements that don't live up to the hype.W...

Culture

3 w. ago Toronto's most notorious McDonald's is about to get less chaotic

While the best-known McDonald's locations of some international cities are famed for their surprising beauty, unique architecture or jaw-dropping patio views, Toronto's is known for a level of sketchiness that has raised it to local legend status.Whether you love its lore or consider it a blight on the neighbourhood, the Queen-Spadina outpost of the fast-food giant has been the site of stabbings, brawls, and all sorts of general chaos, especially during late-night hours, when you never know what kind of characters you may run into there.But, with a new McDonald's location gearing up to open just one major street away, some feared that Toronto's most infamous landmark would soon meet its end, especially with the intersection set to serve as a stop on the forthcoming Ontario Line subway.For better or for worse, representatives for the ubiquitous restaurant chain have reassured us that the well-loved, frequented and...

Other

4 w. ago 5 enormous towers up to 56 storeys could transform Ontario city's skyline

A towering development proposal aims to totally reshape the skyline of Barrie, Ontario.Plans filed with the City of Barrie by Piveon Developments on Aug. 27 seek to rezone a site near the city's waterfront that would radically alter the local landscape with five towers rising as tall as 56 storeys.The ambitious proposal seeks to build out a pair of properties at 145 Bradford Street and 48 Ellen Street, currently a vacant lot and an adjacent home.Such density would have seemed unimaginable just a few years earlier, though significant changes in Barrie's urban fabric have essentially kicked the doors open for a transformative wave of tall towers that could further alter the city's skyline in the years to come.The enormous proposal on Barrie's waterfront would have been laughed out of the room a decade ago, though the nearby Debut Waterfront Residences project, located at 55 Dunlop Street West — now home to Barrie's current tallest buildings — ...

Other

last month Little Italy bagel shop shut down by Toronto health inspectors

A bagel shop in the heart of Little Italy has been forced to close following an inspection by Toronto Public Health. College Street Bagels, located at 697 College St., on Thursday received 10 infractions — two crucial, two significant and six minor violations, according to the health agency. The bagel spot, which also has a […]

Science

last month Two condos in Toronto heritage home just hit the market for almost $5 million each

Toronto doesn't exactly make it easy to find a condo with character. Most new builds lean glassy and generic, but every once in a while, a project comes along that merges history with luxury in a way that feels genuinely special.That's precisely what's happened at 62 Charles St. E., where the 1885 Second Empire Victorian has been completely restored on the outside and is now totally customizable on the inside.Known as the Thomas Smith and Arthur Coleman Houses, the semi-detached homes were originally built by Toronto contractor Arthur Coleman in partnership with painter Thomas Smith.A digital image of the kitchen and dining room of the lower unit. Their distinctive Second Empire style — mansard roofs, patterned slate shingles, buff-brick details, and double-door entrances — still stands proud today after a painstaking exterior restoration.Fun fact, the restoration only happened because it was part of deal the developer Cresford h...

Economics