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Recently renovated Ontario estate under $6M feels like a private woodland oasis

Sabrina Gamrot — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:01 -0400

There's something a little magical about finding a private woodland setting in the middle of Mississauga.

That's exactly what you’ll find at 1578 Spring Rd., a 4+1-bedroom, six-bathroom home tucked into Lorne Park Estates. Known for its mature trees, spacious properties, and quiet residential streets, the neighbourhood offers a slower pace while still being within the city.

The property itself sits on a 100-foot-wide lot that stretches 268 feet deep, with the grounds extending into a private, tree-lined setting. It's a lot of space, and it gives the property a distinctly secluded feel.

That's an attached 3-car garage with a private double driveway, providing enough space to park 7 vehicles.

Built in 2013 and updated through a comprehensive 2024 architect-led renovation, 1578 Spring Rd. blends a proven structural foundation with modern design.

That luxury design is seen throughout the chef's kitchen, which has been fitted with granite surfaces, a Wolf double range and convection speed oven, Sub-Zero refrigeration, and a Miele dishwasher.

The small design details are what really make this high-capacity kitchen shine; custom millwork, double facucets, and back tile lighting.

Now this is luxury; the kitchen area also hosts a servery with a second Miele dishwasher and under-counter bar refrigeration.

Hosting is a breeze with the ample storage space in the servery.

Bring it on up to the upper level and feast your eyes on the beauty that is the primary suite — complete with an electric fireplace, a six-piece ensuite bathroom, a custom dressing room, and motorized Hunter Douglas PowerView window shades.

Notice the beautiful nature terrace views from the grand window.

Down on the lower level, the show-stopping beauty continues. The full walkout lower level is equipped with radiant-heated Italian tile, 8-foot Kolbe glass doors, a walnut wine cellar, a fitness studio, and a true cinema theatre.

Don't forget that fifth bedroom, which features a spa-like ensuite fit with a sauna and Cambria stone finishes.

Warm tile floors in the lower level.

But that's not all the lower level offers. Here you'll find a secondary entertainment kitchen perfect for hosting friends and family. That looks like a refreshment bar with Dekton surfaces, Fisher & Paykel convection microwave, an integrated coffee maker, fridge and freezer, and a third (yes, third) Miele dishwasher.

Dark onyx perfectly blends gold finishing accents for a sleek looking secondary kitchen.

1578 Spring Rd. is also an outdoor oasis. With an elevated terrace (nearly 1,000 square feet) that overlooks the in-ground pool, hot tub, and a cedar gazebo, it's always vacation time in the backyard.

Talk about a sweeping view.

The covered outdoor kitchen is perfect for dining al fresco, while the granite counter, gas BBQ, two-burner cooktop, outdoor gas fireplace, media features, and three overhead gas patio heaters keep the luxury flowing.

Summer backyard jams are exactly what this space has been designed for!

For the cherry on top, the home is equipped with an automated 24 KW Generac generator, Kinetico reverse-osmosis water treatment, and dual independent HVAC systems that separate the upper floor from the main and lower.

A green oasis to call your own.

A luxury Lorne Park estate like 1578 Spring Rd. rarely comes up for sale. In fact, this is the first time the home will be on the market in 11 years, and it is currently listed for $5,890,000

1578 Spring Road -- your dream home tucked into a lush canopy.

Are you ready for LP living? Contact the Sam McDadi team and start planning for your South Mississauga dreams.

Toronto's best baguette and croissant to be crowned once and for all next month

Phoebe Knight, Dished — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Some of the best bakeries in the GTA are gathering under one roof next month to determine, once and for all, who really makes Toronto's best baguette and croissant.

Everybody in Toronto has their opinions — and lots of them — on who makes the best, well, everything. Hell, we even publish them. Sometimes, though, it's more satisfying to have a firm, as-objective-as-possible answer than having to wade through the bog of subjectivity.

That's exactly why French Morning, a U.S.-based French language news site, is bringing its annual Best Croissant and Best Baguette competition to Toronto. So help us, this city will identify its best boulangerie one way or another.

Taking place on Sunday, Oct. 4., 500 taste-testers and a panel of professionals will get to work sampling baguettes and croissants from nearly a dozen bakeries in Toronto and the surrounding area before gathering the votes and crowning, once and for all, the bakeries that do them best.

The sweetest part of all? You can sign up to be a member of the 500-person-tasting party yourself. Tickets, which grant you samples of every competing baguette and croissant and the opportunity to name the best baguette- and croissant-makers in the city, are available online for just $30.

During the competition, attendees will be able to peruse stalls for each bakery and sample the goods on offer, later casting their votes for their favourite baguette and croissant. The bakeries that rack up the most attendee votes will receive Public's Prize.

At the same time, the jury, consisting of chefs and food critics, will undergo a blind taste test, eventually crowning the recipients of the Grand Jury prizes for the best croissant and best baguette in Toronto.

It's certain to be a tight competition, with a lineup of 11 finalists, voted on by French Morning readers, consisting of local staples Tangssant Viennoiserie, Gouter, Nadege, HV Bakery, Bakery Pompette, Evana Patisserie, French Made and Chokwoklat.

Out-of-town competitors: Waterloo's Maison Kookoo, Oakville's Tatin Bakehouse and Fonthill's The Baking Bar are also joining the fight. Will Toronto's best baguette and croissant prove to come from bakeries that aren't in Toronto at all? We'll all just have to wait and see.

The Best Croissant and Best Baguette in Toronto competition is taking place between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Ricarda's Restaurant on Sunday, Oct. 4.

Closed airport near Toronto will finally be redeveloped next year

Jack Landau — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

It's been mostly quiet at the Markham site of Toronto Buttonville Municipal Airport since the facility's closure at the end of 2023, but that's all set to change in the new year.

The municipal airstrip along Highway 404 just north of the city has sat idle for close to three years, though its long-awaited redevelopment is looming closer on the horizon.

Buttonville was originally destined for redevelopment with a sprawling community of condo towers, though, with the market already in decline by the time of the airport's closure, the developer behind the project opted to pivot to a much less flashy industrial redevelopment.

Developer and property manager Cadillac Fairview was already part owner of the airport in 2021, when it bought out the remaining 50 per cent stake in the property for just shy of $193 million.

Almost five years later, the developer is preparing to move forward with its redevelopment of the 169-acre site. The airport lands are destined to be built out with a roughly three-million-square-foot, 11-building industrial plaza.

Known as the Buttonville Industrial Park, the massive new complex will feature buildings ranging in size from 42,000 to 836,000 sq. ft., designed to accommodate a variety of tenants.

Cadillac Fairview states on its website that work on the new industrial park is just around the corner, with site servicing and infrastructure construction to precede construction starting next year.

The 2027 start of preliminary work will set the stage for the first phase of building construction, which Cadillac Fairview anticipated will take place in 2028.

City of Markham

Actual occupancies of the new buildings are expected to follow "as early as 2029."

8 Toronto hotels were just awarded prestigious Michelin distinctions

Phoebe Knight — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 15:40:38 -0400

A swath of Toronto hotels were just named some of Canada's best stays by Michelin.

We're all familiar with Michelin's prestigious culinary guides, but some travellers are surprised to learn that the tire company — being in the business of travel — also visits and awards hotels around the world.

While restaurants revel in their stars and Bib Gourmands, hotels have keys, and for the 2026 selection, which was announced on Friday, Sept. 18, Toronto hotels, much like their restaurant cousins, were well represented.

Distinguished on a scale from one (described as a "very special stay") to three ("an extraordinary stay") keys, a total of 38 Canadian hotels landed on the guide, with eight of those located in Toronto.

Unsurprisingly, Yorkville appears to be the nucleus of "exceptional" stays in the city, with both the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto and the Hazelton Hotel leading the rest of the pack and earning two keys respectively.

One-key stays are in greater supply in Toronto. The Ritz-Carlton, 1 Hotel, Ace Hotel, Bisha Hotel, Park Hyatt and Shangri-La all earned one-key distinctions for 2026.

Toronto wasn't the only city in Ontario to see its hotels recognized on the list, though it was the only one to have hotels earn two keys or above.

Ottawa's Fairmont Chateau Laurier Gold Experience, Picton's Merrill House and The Royal Hotel, and Kingston's Belvedere Hotel and The Smith Hotel all also walked away with one-key distinctions.

As for the top performers, just two hotels managed to eke out three-key ratings this year: Fogo Island Inn in Newfoundland and Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge in Tofino. Still, I'd wager that few people would turn down a night at any property on the list, whether it boasts one key or three.

Here's the full list of Canada's Michelin Key hotels for 2026.

Three-key hotels

Fogo Island Inn - Fogo Island, N.L.
Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge - Tofino, B.C.

Two-key hotels

Four Seasons Hotel Montreal - Montreal, Que.
Manoir Hovey - North Hatley, Que.
Auberge Saint-Antoine - Quebec City, Que.
Four Seasons Hotel Toronto at Yorkville - Toronto, Ont.
The Hazelton Hotel Toronto - Toronto, Ont.
Rosewood Hotel Georgia - Vancouver, B.C.
Fairmont Chateau Whistler - Whistler, B.C.
Four Seasons Resort Whistler - Whistler, B.C.

One-key hotels

Le Germain Charlevoix Hotel & Spa - Baie-Saint-Paul, Que.
Fairmont Banff Springs - Banff, Alta.
The Dorian, Autograph Collection - Calgary, Alta.
Fairmont Hotel MacDonald - Edmonton, Alta.
Muir, Autograph Collection - Halifax, N.S.
Belvedere Hotel - Kingston, Ont.
The Smith Hotel - Kingston, Ont.
Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise - Lake Louise, Alta.
Post Hotel & Spa - Lake Louise, Alta.
The Lodge at Bow Lake - Lake Louise, Alta.
Hotel Quintessence - Mont-Tremblant, Que.
Hotel William Gray - Montreal, Que.
The Ritz-Carlton Montreal - Montreal, Que.
Le Mount Stephen - Montreal, Que.
Le Place d'Armed Hotel & Suites - Montreal, Que.
Fairmont Chateau Laurier Gold Experience - Ottawa, Ont.
Merrill House - Picton, Ont.
The Royal Hotel - Picton, Ont.
Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu - La Malbaie, Que.
Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac - Quebec City, Que.
Wickaninnish Inn - Tofino, B.C.
The Ritz-Carlton Toronto - Toronto, Ont.
1 Hotel Toronto - Toronto, Ont.
Ace Hotel Toronto - Toronto, Ont.
Bisha Hotel Toronto - Toronto, Ont.
Park Hyatt Toronto - Toronto, Ont.
Shangri-La Hotel - Toronto, Ont.
Loden Hotel - Vancouver, B.C.
Wedgewood Hotel - Vancouver, B.C.
Fairmont Empress Hotel - Victoria, B.C.
Magnolia Hotel & Spa - Victoria, B.C.
Nita Lake Lodge - Whistler, B.C.

IKEA is celebrating its 50th anniversary and you can get in on the action in Toronto

Kendall Bistretzan — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 15:40:12 -0400

Can you believe IKEA Canada has been around for 50 years? It's hard to believe there was ever a time without the iconic Swedish brand.

A golden anniversary like this calls for celebration, and IKEA is inviting the Toronto public to do just that on Friday, Sept. 25, at Transmission Studios from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

50 years of IKEA Canada

IKEA Canada is celebrating 50 years in Canada with a free one-day-only event, where guests are invited to step into a portal through time. Okay, maybe not a real portal, but you'll sure feel as though you've travelled back in time!

An immersive experience awaits, celebrating the products, memories, and solutions that have shaped life at home since 1976. Explore photo-worthy moments and interactive installations that showcase IKEA's history, design heritage, and Swedish roots.

The IKEA classics you know and love

You can also browse some of IKEA's most beloved products, like the BILLY bookcase, MALM furniture, and KALLAX shelving unit, and walk away with a free blue FRAKTA bag while supplies last.

See something you like? The celebration also includes a giveaway, where one lucky winner will receive a $500 IKEA gift card, so you better start crafting your wishlist just in case.

And what sort of celebration would it be without an appearance made by the iconic meatballs? Complimentary meatballs, plant balls, and sweet Swedish-inspired sweets will be available while quantities last.

Anyone and everyone is welcome to attend this free event. But space is limited, and entry is first-come, first-served. Arrive early if you can — that way you'll have a better chance of avoiding waits during peak times.

You also must be an IKEA Family Member to qualify for prizes, which you can enroll in for free if you haven't already.

Celebrate 50 years of IKEA Canada by swinging by Transmission Studios on Friday, Sept. 25. You might even win big!

IKEA Anniversary Celebration

Where: Transmission Studios, 58 Berkeley St., Toronto
When: Friday, Sept. 25, 2026
Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: Free

Toronto Blue Jays could win every remaining game and still miss playoffs

Marley Dickinson, Offside — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 13:00:01 -0400

The Toronto Blue Jays' playoff chances are looking grimmer by the day.

After dropping two of three games to the Texas Rangers over the weekend, the Blue Jays now sit three games back of the third and final American League Wild Card spot with just six games left in the regular season.

What makes the situation even tougher is that the team Toronto is chasing, the Chicago White Sox, holds the regular-season tiebreaker over the Blue Jays. So, technically, Toronto is four games back.

According to FanGraphs, the Blue Jays' postseason odds have plummeted to 3.5 per cent after sitting at 35 per cent just two weeks ago.

During that stretch, Toronto has gone 5-7, dropping several games against teams battling for the same playoff spot.

John E. Sokolowski/Imagn Images

Even though the odds are slim, the clock hasn't struck midnight on the Blue Jays just yet.

If Toronto wins all six of its remaining games, the team would finish the season 83-79 and have a 57 per cent chance of securing the final Wild Card spot, according to FanGraphs.

But they'd still need some help.

Toronto needs either the White Sox or Cleveland Guardians to completely implode over their remaining games, winning fewer than two games.

If either team wins more than two of its final six, the Blue Jays would be eliminated.

The Blue Jays sit three games back of the third American League Wild Card spot with six games left in the 2026 season. (MLB.com)

To make matters even more difficult, Chicago's final opponents happen to be two of MLB's worst teams: the Kansas City Royals and Colorado Rockies.

The Blue Jays are on the road for a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles before returning home to Rogers Centre to close out the regular season against the Cincinnati Reds this weekend.

Toronto's struggles this season have come on both sides of the ball, but the team's inability to score runs has stood out in particular.

The Blue Jays rank second-to-last in MLB in both runs scored and home runs. Last season, they were among the league's best offensive teams.

It's a far cry from what many Blue Jays fans expected after last year's World Series run captivated the nation.

For Toronto to defend their 2025 American League title, they are going to need to run the table these final six games and get some major help to go along with it.

Celebrities have been spotted at restaurants all over Ontario lately

Phoebe Knight, Dished — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 12:43:20 -0400

As the Toronto International Film Festival wrapped up its 2026 season on Sept. 20, celebrities have been getting spotted all over the city and its surrounding areas.

TIFF may be over for the year, but its A-list attendees are still making the most of their time in the city, with a swath of stars appearing at local restaurants.

Of course, TIFF isn't the only reason why you may see a major celeb sinking their teeth into a burger or twirling up some spaghetti at a local restaurant. Toronto regularly serves as a filming location for major productions, whether the city is cosplaying as somewhere else or the film is actually set on home turf.

Whatever the reason, the stars have been out and eating in and around Toronto in major numbers lately.

It comes as no surprise that the Entertainment District's Pai has proven, once again, to be one of the biggest star magnets in Toronto during TIFF. Maybe it's the secret celeb whisper network urging them all to flock to the Thai restaurant, or maybe it's just the call of that Tom Yum Soup, but stars simply love Pai.

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True to form, no small number of stars have dined at the restaurant recently, including Canadian actors Hudson Williams, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Amalia Williamson, as well as Sung Kang and Brooke Shields.

It's not just restaurants in Toronto that are feeling the love from major stars.

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Brooke Shields also made a trip beyond city limits to visit Fat Rabbit in St. Catharines — a move that I firmly approve of, because I'm sure Brooke Shields was dying for my approval when she booked her reservation.

Noted fan of the Toronto food scene, thanks to the time she spent here filming Star Trek: Discovery, Michelle Yeoh was spotted at Lao Lao Bar in the Church Wellesley Village to celebrate the premiere of her new film The Surgeon, just days after James McAvoy (Split, Atonement) was snapped dining there, too.

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A regular hub for celebrity sightings, King West's Silent H has also seen its fair share of star power over the past few weeks, with Cole Sprouse, Sean Paul, and Rami Malek all stopping by to dine and party there.

Earlier in the TIFF season, scores of other celebrities were also spotted in and around the festival hub, at hot spots such as Vinny, Cassius, Primadonna, Hello Nori and the Bisha Hotel.

These Raptors legends were in Toronto this weekend to celebrate Kyle Lowry

Marley Dickinson, Offside — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 11:54:01 -0400

The Raptors rolled out the red carpet on Saturday in Toronto for the Night of 7 Gala, celebrating the greatest player in franchise history: Kyle Lowry.

The gala was thrown to honour No. 7's legendary nine seasons with the Raptors, and many of his former teammates made the trip up to Toronto to celebrate his legacy and illustrious career.

Unsurprisingly, Lowry's longtime right-hand man and former backcourt buddy DeMar DeRozan was there.

But he wasn't the only familiar face in attendance.

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Several players from the Raptors' early-2010s teams made an appearance, including former NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion Terrence Ross, along with a trio of former Toronto power forwards: Amir Johnson, Jamaal Magloire and Chuck Hayes.

There were also some familiar faces from Toronto's 2018-19 championship-winning team, including Fred VanVleet, Danny Green, Pascal Siakam, and now, two-time NBA champion OG Anunoby.

Current Raptors stars Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley also pulled up to pay tribute to the Greatest Raptor of All-Time.

Of course, there were a few notable former (and current) Raptors players missing from the gala, including Serge Ibaka, Marc Gasol, Norman Powell, Chris Boucher and Kawhi Leonard.

Ibaka did, however, appear at Lowry's invitational golf tournament on Friday at TPC Toronto. Despite showing up for the event, Ibaka told reporters that he doesn't actually golf — he makes art.

We're still trying to figure out what that means.

Five-time NBA All-Star Kevin Love was also around for the entire Lowry weekend, trolling Raptors fans, sparking free agent rumours, and attending the gala with his wife, Vancouver-born model Kate Bock.

Even though Love was never a Raptor, he and Lowry were teammates for parts of two seasons with the Miami Heat.

In July, Lowry became the first player to sign a one-day contract and retire with the Raptors franchise. His iconic No. 7 jersey is set to be raised to the rafters at Scotiabank Arena when Toronto hosts his hometown team, the Philadelphia 76ers, on Jan. 10.

Toronto mall parking lot transforms into enormous haunted maze this week

Sandeep Panesar — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 11:28:22 -0400

Crisp fall air, pumpkin-spiced everything, and stacked hay bales all over Toronto can only mean one thing: Halloween is officially around the corner.

And if you're looking for something to tickle your inner haunt-seeker, Night of Lights at Toronto's CF Sherway Gardens has your name written all over it.

This isn't your ordinary light-show walk-through with a smattering of orange and green lights to mark the spooky season, though. Sure, there are some seriously impressive light displays made up of more than 1.5 million lights, but that's really just the tip of the iceberg.

Combined with the annual Pumpkinville experience, Night of Lights at CF Sherway Gardens is an after-dark experience that combines all the daytime fixings of Pumpkinville with plenty of extra activities to keep the scares rolling into the wee hours of the night.

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Beyond lit-up carnival rides, vendor markets, an on-site bar, and plenty of photo ops to fill your feed, one of Night of Lights' staple nighttime attractions is returning this year, too: The Harvest Haunted Maze.

The 5,000-sq. ft. haunted maze promises "sinister characters" and "terrifying discoveries" for anyone brave enough to step inside. Given the nature of the attraction, The Harvest Haunted Maze is an adults-only experience.

An all-ages-friendly maze will be available at Night of Lights until 7 p.m.

The event also features designated evening activities on certain days of the week: Trivia Night on Thursdays, Country Line Dancing on Fridays, and live performances on Saturdays.

Pumpkinville and Night of Lights will take over part of the mall's parking lot from Sept. 25 to Nov. 1. The spooky spectacle will run Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Fridays from 5 p.m. to midnight, Saturdays from 12 p.m. to midnight, and Sundays from noon to 11 p.m.

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Adult admission is $21.99, plus applicable fees and taxes. A single ticket is valid for the daytime Pumpkinville attraction, plus all light shows and Night of Lights activities. Tickets are available through the event's official website.

The attraction comes to life at CF Sherway Gardens, located at 25 The West Mall in Etobicoke, Ont.

Much-anticipated Toronto restaurant finally opens next week

Phoebe Knight, Dished — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 10:34:47 -0400

An upcoming Toronto restaurant that's been in the works for more than a year is finally ready to fire up the stoves this October.

It takes a lot to get people in Toronto excited about a new restaurant, and that's no one's fault; there are just so many exciting concepts opening that it's hard to stand out when something new and fresh seems to go viral every week.

Still, when whispers of former Buca Yorkville chef Justin Friedlich's upcoming Shay Ristorante began to build, people immediately took notice.

Billing itself as Rosedale's incumbent new neighbourhood "hot spot," and joining a growing fleet of stylish restaurants (think Seahorse and Manita) re-upping the area's street cred, to say folks have been excited for Shay to open its doors would be an understatement.

But patience is a virtue, and the team at Shay seemed content to let the anticipation build, spending more than a year fine-tuning the concept before finally announcing its opening date on Sept. 20.

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Now, the wait is finally almost over: Shay is slated to open its doors on Thursday, Oct. 1.

Friedlich's own culinary pedigree isn't the only reason to get excited about the restaurant. For Shay, he's joined forces with Creative Director Rayana Dilawri to bring to life a palatial energy inspired by rural Italy.

Adam Halpern of Halpern Wine Enterprises has also been tapped for the project.

At Shay, you can expect a refined menu of reimagined Italian staples, like suppli topped with tuna crudo (kind of like an Italian take on tuna crispy rice) and decadent pasta dishes, all made using top-of-the-line ingredients.

If your stomach is rumbling at the mere mention of it, you can find solace in the fact that you don't even have a fortnight left to wait before you can check Shay out for yourself.

Shay will be located at 1055 Yonge St.

Toronto residents have the chance to try out for a popular TV show

Jack Landau — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 10:22:46 -0400

If you're planning to renovate your Toronto-area home, you might want to hit the pause button, as a popular home renovation show is casting for its 20th season, and your humble abode just might be its next star.

Love It or List It is returning for its 20th season, and producers have announced that casting has begun, "and homeowners across Toronto and the GTA are invited to put their homes in the spotlight."

The show's producers only have a few casting requirements, seeking "fun" and "enthusiastic" homeowners in the Greater Toronto Area with a budget of at least $80,000 who are considering whether to invest in renovations or just put the house up for sale.

"After two decades of renovation reveals, real estate decisions and unforgettable homeowner debates, Love It or List It is casting for its milestone 20th season — and homeowners across Toronto and the GTA are invited to put their homes in the spotlight," reads a statement from producers.

Homeowners who hope to appear on the hit series are asked to submit their information and tell their story using an online casting form.

Love it or List It, which airs on HGTV, W Network, and OWN Canada, has spawned spinoffs in several other markets, including Canadian spinoffs in Vancouver, Calgary, and Quebec, as well as British and Australian versions of the show.

New casino now under construction in Ontario while another set to close

Jack Landau — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 09:46:36 -0400

A new casino and hotel complex is coming to an Ontario golf course and will soon replace another nearby gaming property.

Construction is now in full swing at the site of the new Cascades Casino and Hotel Innisfil, a new attraction just off Highway 400, at 239 Reive Blvd.

The new hotel and casino complex is rising on land previously occupied by the former Innisfil Creek Golf Course, which permanently closed in February 2024 to accommodate the Town of Innisfil's South Innisfil Creek Drain construction project.

It was announced that same year that the 25-acre plot of land would host a replacement for the existing Gateway Casinos Innisfil, located just under ten kilometres to the north within the Georgian Downs racetrack complex at 7485 5th Side Rd.

The new complex would feature a casino floor with over 1,000 slot machines and expanded live table games along with a seven-storey hotel — combining for approximately 150,000 square feet.

Gaming and hospitality options would be complemented by three restaurants: Chow Lucky Noodle Bar, MATCH Eatery, and Atlas Steak + Fish.

Plans to develop the site were pushed through with a provincial Minister's Zoning Order (MZO) requested by the developer in 2024.

Often controversial, an MZO essentially allows the province to sidestep municipal planning policies and rubber-stamp a proposal.

The MZO was issued in 2025, paving the way for a site plan agreement and building permits that allowed work to begin that same year.

At the current rate of construction, the new casino is expected to open as early as June 2027.

May 2026 construction progress as seen from Highway 400. Google Street View.

Once complete, the new facility will be a prominent landmark for passing motorists on Highway 400, with renderings depicting a vibrant lighting scheme that will stand out from the artery known for masses of cottage-goers in the summer months.

Toronto residents struggle to name the city's original 6 boroughs

Jack Landau — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 08:49:12 -0400

Many who use Toronto's '6ix' moniker may not know the nickname comes from both the city's area code and its original six pre-amalgamation boroughs.

The modern-day City of Toronto was formed on January 1, 1998, with the amalgamation of six former local municipalities: Old Toronto, East York, North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, and York.

Almost 29 years have passed since the city's borders last changed to absorb its five surrounding municipalities — enough time in the rearview that many people struggle to name all six.

blogTO hit the streets to ask locals if they could name all six in the 6ix, and the results were a mixed bag.

@blogto Can you name all six boroughs of Toronto? 🌃🤔 🎙️ @samkieme 🎥 @nevevanpelt_ ♬ original sound - blogTO

People on the street were caught a bit off-guard by the question, and many struggled to name the former municipalities that make up present-day Toronto.

One local even asked, "Does the Junction count as a borough?" No, it absolutely does not.

Other incorrect answers included current suburbs and neighbourhoods, though a few people were locked in and easily rattled off all six.

What's your favourite municipal trivia question you like to ask people in Toronto? Let us know in the comments.

Every location of this Toronto sandwich chain has now closed

Phoebe Knight, Dished — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

After a series of successive closures, the last remaining location of a Toronto Cuban food chain beloved for its sandwiches has officially shut down. Is this the end of La Cubana as we know it?

When La Cubana founder and chef Corinna Mozo announced that she'd be closing down the Roncesvalles flagship of her small-but-mighty Cuban food empire in September 2025, no one could have possibly guessed that it would be the beginning of the end for the restaurant altogether.

Founded on Roncy in 2012, La Cubana was a local institution, specializing in the hefty sandwiches popular late at night outside Havana bars as well as more substantial mains, like barbecue platters and succulent seafood.

It was such a success that it went on to spawn spin-offs: a sister location on the bustling Ossington strip and a stall at The Well's Wellington Market Food Hall.

In a city whose food scene is as diverse as its population, Cuban cuisine is conspicuously rare, but La Cubana took on its representative role with tact.

Until, that is, Mozo announced that the Roncesvalles location would close permanently so the team could focus its efforts on "other endeavours."

Less than a year later, Mozo and her brother and co-owner, Pablo, announced that the Ossington brick-and-mortar would also close, citing "the pandemic, subsequent inflation, high food costs, tax, insurance and energy increases, many weather events, and other factors" that made operating the restaurant "unsustainable."

After La Cubana's Ossington location closed down, fans could, at least, find solace in the fact that the restaurant was still operating its outpost at The Well. Just months after the Ossington location closed, however, so too did the restaurant's last permanent location at The Well.

Similarly, La Cubana's seasonal outpost at Picton's Base 31 also seems to have disappeared, no longer appearing on the venue's food lineup.

After 13 years of being one of the city's sole Cuban restaurants, the hole that La Cubana leaves behind is a sizeable one, to say the least, but to say that the restaurant had a good run would be an understatement, despite the way the dominoes toppled in its final months.

Only time will tell whether La Cubana manages to make a comeback in Toronto or elsewhere, but for now, those high-piled medianoche sandwiches will be sorely missed.

Underrated trail has some of the 'best natural views' of fall colours in Ontario

Sandeep Panesar — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

If you're thinking of packing the car and taking a road trip through the province to get a glimpse of gorgeous fall colours in Ontario, then here's your cue to check out Landons Bay at Thousand Islands National Park.

A scenic spot with a mix of trails, wetlands, rocky terrain, and views of the St. Lawrence River, Landons Bay is just under four hours east of downtown Toronto. Don't let the travel time discourage you from exploring this recreational area because there's plenty to do once you get there.

With a total of five trails to explore, you can easily spend the entire day hiking along the St. Lawrence River before settling down for a meal in a picturesque setting.

Landons Bay's Lookout Trail is by far the most popular of the mix, often visited by locals, but it completely flies under the radar for those visiting Thousand Islands National Park from out of town.

It's a simple — and short — 500-metre hike from the base of the Landons Bay recreation area to the top of the lookout. Once you get there, you'll see why nature enthusiasts rave about the view: a panoramic look over the St. Lawrence River and Landons Bay. It's a sprawling landscape that Parks Canada calls "the best natural view in the Thousand Islands Area."

Of course, if you're headed there this time of year, there's probably only one thing on your mind: fall colours.

So, imagine the cliff-top lookout ablaze with fall foliage from the surrounding deciduous and coniferous trees, teeming with vibrant hues of orange, red, and yellow, set against the St. Lawrence River. Doesn't that sound dreamy?

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Trust me when I say this will make for quite the photo op for the 'gram.

Beyond the Lookout Trail, Landons Bay is also known for the 4.3-kilometre-long Donevan Trail and the 2.4-kilometre-long Halstead Creek Trail, both of which wind through forests and wetlands. And, depending on the route, hikers may encounter beavers, osprey nests, and other wildlife specific to the region.

The trails also range in elevation, from 23 metres to 63 metres, so visitors can choose how strenuous they want their expedition to be and set the pace for the day.

Beyond hiking, Landons Bay is also a great destination for outdoor activities like birdwatching and paddling in summer, as well as snowshoeing once the snow officially covers the ground.

For a relatively compact outing with trails and expansive river scenery featuring Ontario in all of its fall colour glory, Landons Bay gives you the chance to explore a quieter corner of Thousand Islands National Park.