Latest news with #FirstUp
Toronto Star
3 days ago
- Business
- Toronto Star
John Tory's eyeing a return to city hall + Internal data shows wide gaps in pregnancy rates at fertility clinics
Good morning. This is the Wednesday, June 18 edition of First Up, the Star's daily morning digest. Sign up to get it earlier each day, in your inbox. It looks like we're in for an extra-hot start to summer in Toronto. Here's what you need to know. And here's the latest on John Tory's potential return to city hall, what data reveals about Ontario fertility clinics, and why a Toronto man is stranded in Iran. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW DON'T MISS John Tory is weighing a city hall comeback Insiders say Tory is eyeing a 2026 mayoral run. Here's what we know. Edward Keenan: Could we see Olivia Chow vs. John Tory in next year's Toronto mayoral race? Here's what it might look like Mayor John Tory steps down from office after admitting he had relationship with staffer Internal data reveals stark contrasts in pregnancy rates at fertility clinics Here's what the data — which patients don't have access to — reveals about clinics' success rates. Disturbing errors at Ontario fertility clinics destroy couples' baby dreams years after province abandoned oversight plans This Toronto man is stranded in Iran Hossein Khodabakhsh travelled to Tehran to visit his sick mother. Now he's stuck. The Latest: Israel strikes Tehran for a sixth day as Iranian casualties rise WHAT ELSE French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, US Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the Group of Seven (G7) Summit at the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge in Kananaskis, Alberta, Tuesday. LUDOVIC MARIN AFP via Getty Images World leaders were unable to convince Donald Trump to sign a joint G7 declaration of support for Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to take questions from international journalists. Donald Trump said Canada will get a 'much better deal' if it becomes the 51st American state. David Olive: National unity is at stake in the war of wills between Carney's energy dreams and Smith's pipeline populism. This formerly homeless man is teaching kids how to heal from trauma — with improv. The cop who assaulted Brampton teen Chadd Facey is set to be sentenced today. A gang of 'stupid criminals' allegedly tried to steal a car from Doug Ford's driveway. Meanwhile, Ford voiced support for a man who allegedly shot a gun to ward off attempted carjackers. Eglinton Crosstown LRT train operations have been transferred to TTC. Here's what comes next. A real estate investment firm bought an aging, 'luxury' apartment building in midtown. Here's what happened next. Wine sales at the LCBO fell as U.S. imports to Canada plunged 94 per cent. Shellene Drakes-Tull: Here's why that crass sticker on your bumper can snowball into something darker. POV The Blue Jays were maligned for sending Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Gabriel Moreno to the Diamondbacks. Two years later, both teams are happy with the trade. CLOSE UP Members of the Florida Panthers celebrate their victory over the Edmonton Oilers with a final score of 5-1 at Amerant Bank Arena Tuesday. Mike Carlson Getty Images SUNRISE: The Florida Panthers celebrate their second straight Stanley Cup victory. The Panthers beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-1 in Game Six of the Stanley Cup Final last night. Here's Bruce Arthur's take on another loss for a Canadian team. Thank you for reading. You can reach me and the First Up team at firstup@ I will see you back here tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox.
Toronto Star
13-06-2025
- Business
- Toronto Star
Toronto seniors' delayed downsizing + a neighbourhood identity crisis
Good morning. This is the Friday, June 13 edition of First Up, the Star's daily morning digest. Sign up to get it earlier each day, in your inbox. Here's the latest on Toronto seniors' delayed downsizing, a damning report on WestJet, and a neighbourhood identity crisis. Plus, the 2025 wildfire season is on track to be Canada's second-worst on record as officials warn of a dangerous summer ahead for parts of British Columbia. Here's what to expect. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW DON'T MISS Toronto's slow real estate market could prevent seniors from downsizing Market instability and tariffs have altered seniors' real estate plans. Here's what the data shows. Toronto-area home prices drop 4 per cent as May marks another near-record low for sales WestJet was slammed for leaving 170 passengers stranded Here's how the airline landed itself in hot water after an unexpected landing in Los Angeles. She had her car wash deal revoked for 'sharing it too much.' So why won't Petro-Canada refund the balance? This high-tech neighbourhood of the future has taken an unexpected turn From a controversial 'smart neighbourhood' to purpose-built rentals, here's the final plan for Quayside. Hundreds of planned condo units cancelled: 'Market cratered almost overnight' WHAT ELSE This photo shared by India's Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) shows debris of a plane that crashed in the northwestern Indian city of Ahmedabad, in Gujarat state, Thursday. India's Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)/AP A Mississauga dentist was killed in the Air India plane crash. A British national was the only survivor. Here's more. A watchdog slammed the Ford government for using code words and private emails to discuss the Greenbelt. It's Political: Defence Minister David McGuinty joined the podcast to discuss threats, budgets and the U.S. Give it a listen. Top military officials and scientists were killed in an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear and missile sites. Here's the latest. The government-ordered vote on Canada Post's contract offer was slammed as an attack on workers' rights. Trump is a felon. Can he be stopped from entering Canada? Find out here. The judge and prosecutor in the Hockey Canada trial sparred over the players' group texts. Follow the trial here. This Toronto man's death stunned his family. Then his girlfriend was charged with second-degree murder. Doug Smith: This prospect has one skill teams want — and an endorsement from Cooper Flagg. Karon Liu: This irresistible wok-seared $14 noodle dish is the best thing I ate this week. POV At the G7 meeting, look for Canada to do something unusual: Lead. CLOSE UP People pose with the countdown clock. The City of Toronto held an event at Nathan Phillips Square to mark one year until first game of the World Cup in Toronto. Richard Lautens/ Toronto Star NATHAN PH ILLIPS SQUARE: The countdown is on! With one year to go until Toronto hosts its first game of 2026 FIFA World Cup, the city unveiled a countdown clock and other sporty displays to get Torontonians into the soccer spirit. Thank you for reading. You can reach me and the First Up team at firstup@ Sima will see you back here tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox.
Toronto Star
12-06-2025
- Business
- Toronto Star
The transfer of TDSB's longest serving principal sparked protests + Ontario line is costing Metrolinx a pretty penny
Good morning. This is the Thursday, June 12 edition of First Up, the Star's daily morning digest. Sign up to get it earlier each day, in your inbox. Here's the latest on the TDSB transferring its longest-serving principal, Metrolinx's massive land payou t and growing surgery wait times. Also, we're following developments on an Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport this morning with 242 people on board. Here's what we know. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW DON'T MISS The TDSB's decision to transfer its longest serving principal is sparking protests Here's what the rumour mill is saying about Barrie Sketchley's departure from Rosedale Heights. TDSB seeks public feedback as it reviews controversial policy on specialized program admissions This Ontario Line property is going to cost Metrolinx big money A tribunal ruling sided with the land owners' appraisal. Here's how much Metrolinx has to pay. Metrolinx forced him out of his $1,400-a-month home to make way for a new Ontario Line station. Now his rent has almost doubled — and he won't be the only one, the city warns Canadians are facing growing wait times for 'priority' surgeries Despite clearing the COVID backlog, wait times have spiked. Take a look at the data. I paid $1,500 for an MRI and got an appointment in days. But such scans aren't always good for patients — or our health care system WHAT ELSE On Tuesday, federal industry minister Melanie Joly pointed to the domestic auto industry as a potential key part of Ottawa's commitment to reach its exanded defence spending goals. Spencer Colby/ The Canadian Press file photo Could Mark Carney's military plans save Canada's auto industry? Here's what you need to know. Here's how Carney hopes to smooth over his differences with Trump at the G7 summit. Canada set a record for the number of refugee claims received last year. This is what the UN report said. Don't believe players' cooked-up story, the Crown said in their closing arguments at the Hockey Canada trial. Vaughan stopped photo radar after a deluge of speeding tickets. These are the next steps. Over 80 per cent of Toronto-area condos are now selling for under asking. Here's why. Edward Keenan: Are police officers in our schools part of the solution? Here's how they could be. A proposed class action alleges Uber eats customers faced hidden service fees. Here's more. Kendrick Lamar is performing in Toronto for the first time since his feud with Drake ignited. Here's everything you need to know. Canadian authors and fans say these 18 summer reads should top your TBR pile. Check out the list here. POV As climate induced hell-fires rage across the country, Canada looks to build pipelines. CLOSE UP Workers have put a protective coating on the statue of Sir John A. Macdonald along with a plaque acknowledging his controversial role in creating residential schools. Richard Lautens/ Toronto Star QUEEN'S PARK: Sir John A. Macdonald is out in public once again. The likeness of Canada's first prime minister, which gazes south down University Avenue, was boarded up five years ago following repeated acts of vandalism over his role in creating residential schools. Take a closer look at the controversy around the statue. Thank you for reading. You can reach me and the First Up team at firstup@ I will see you back here tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox.
Scoop
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- Scoop
Lawnmower Racers Battle It Out At Fieldays: 'Cheapest Motorsport You Can Do'
There are several rural sporting competitions at agricultural events: shearing, wood chopping and the tractor pull. And for the first time this year, lawnmower racing is coming to Fieldays in the form of the Red Bull Cut It competition. Barry Dawe from the New Zealand Lawnmower Racing Association told First Up the sport has been gaining popularity around the country because of its accessibility. The machines are modified ride-on mowers with the cutting blades removed. Dawe said the engines range from 400cc to 1000cc. "They're pretty big engines and and people tend to think oh it's only a lawnmower engine, but you think of a 500cc motorbike, that's the sort of torque these things have got," Dawe said. "So there's some angry mowers here." Racers sit either on, in, or around the mower and they are not strapped in, Dawe said. Race day is Saturday and the mowers are on display through the week. "So we've got a slightly smaller track than we normally race on, but we've made it so we can do lots of drifting, lots of noise. We've got a jump," Dawe told First Up. "We've got some CO2 cannons that are going to go off. So it's going to be a great old day. We've got over 30 mowers here and we're going to rip up the ground." He said the track is lined with hay bales, and they have tried to make it as wide as they can to allow for passing and drifting. "You don't have to go over the jump, but obviously, if you do, you'll probably get some bonus points and maybe win a trophy." And there's enough straight to get up a bit of speed. About 50 or 60km/h, Dawe said. "We have people from Hawke's Bay, a couple from Taranaki, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty. There's a big contingent down there in Christchurch as well, but obviously it was a bit far for them to travel up. "It's the cheapest motorsport you can do in New Zealand. You don't have to spend a million bucks. You can if you want, but there's no point because the competitiveness is limited [because] you're racing on grass. "It evens everybody out, so even the big motors on certain tracks will be no faster than the small motors. It's all about how you drive and the fun of tinkering." As part of the event, hairdressing and barbering students from Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology will be there with their blades offering haircuts. "And we've got a wheel of fortune that you can spin through," Dawe said. "So once you spin the wheel, you get different haircuts ... We've got skullet, mullet, fade, buzz, undercut and a 'joker', which is the hairdresser's choice. "You walk up here, spin the wheel and you never know what you're going to get. But everyone's a winner."
Toronto Star
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Police turn to an AI tool to investigate Sherman murders + cops back in schools spark mixed reactions
Good morning. This is the Wednesday, June 11 edition of First Up, the Star's daily morning digest. Sign up to get it earlier each day, in your inbox. Good morning. Did you notice a reddish hue to the moon last night? No you weren't imagining things (promise), that was June's strawberry moon making an appearance, a phenomenon that won't be seen again until 2043. Here's what makes it so special. And here's the latest on police adding a resource to help with the investigation into the Sherman murders, a proposed legislation that could put police back in schools and how more visible minorities in the GTA are leaning blue. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW DON'T MISS Police have turned to an AI tool to investigate the Sherman murders Here's how Microsoft Power BI is helping investigators with the case. Toronto police skipped 'Homicide 101' and never sought alibis from family and friends of murdered billionaires Barry and Honey Sherman Barry and Honey Sherman: how the second autopsy revealed it was a double murder Doug Ford's plan for putting cops in schools is getting mixed reactions Officers could be back in the hallways next year. Here's why some are concerned. Doug Ford accused of 'Trump-style politics' with legislation that allows sweeping new powers over the education sector Ford government's changes to children's aid societies miss what actually needs fixing, critics charge Conservative support increased for visible minorities in the GTA Here's how Conservatives attracted the group, which shifted 20 percentage points rightward in some ridings. 'The most honest reflection of the country': Inside the 905 — the ridings that helped deny Mark Carney a majority WHAT ELSE Canada's supply management system protects Canadian farmers by limiting the amount of dairy, eggs and poultry that can be imported into Canada duty-free. Lance McMillan/ Toronto Star file photo With U.S. trade aggression heating up, the protection of Canada's dairy, poultry and eggs intensifies. Mark Carney's government plans to balance AI regulation against the promise to unlock its potential. Here's how. Here's what life is like right now for a community taking shelter from wildfires in hotels near Pearson airport. Heather Mallick: Smoke drifting into Toronto has me choking on past lives in the north. Canada Post's workers union accused the company of trying to dictate a new contract. Here's the latest. The defence in the Hockey Canada trial said the complainant lied under oath. Catch up on the trial here. The Bathurst bus lane battle continues. See the local councillors' latest offer to her constituents. The 2025 Polaris Prize nominees are here. This is who made the list for Canada's top music award. This Toronto couple had creative wedding gifts. Thirty years later, students are still benefiting. From rib festivals to car shows, here are a few ways to celebrate Father's Day in Toronto. Dave Feschuk: The secret to winning the NBA Finals is hidden in lowlight reels. Gregor Chisholm: The surging Blue Jays are getting value from someone new almost every night. POV Inviting Narenda Modi to the G7 summit was the right move for Mark Carney. CLOSE UP Striking employees of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board march around its head office as the strike enters its third week. Steve Russell/ Toronto Star TORONTO: Some 3,600 employees of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) march around its head office as their strike enters its third week. The Ontario Compensation Employees Union blasted the government agency yesterday for using automation to handle a backlog of claims during the strike. Thank you for reading. You can reach me and the First Up team at firstup@ I will see you back here tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox.
