Good afternoon — Toronto is bracing for a major snowstorm, police are handing non-emergency calls over to AI, and the TTC is once again talking up a transit line that still doesn’t have an opening date.

Meanwhile, the Blue Jays just kicked off their 50th anniversary era, veterans are getting a free ride to the airport, and early data is raising questions about how Toronto’s newest LRT is actually performing.

Plus: why more people are quietly leaving the city and what’s behind a sudden revenue drop at this public square.

Let’s get into it.

THE DIGEST: 7 Handpicked Stories

🌨️ Major Snowstorm: Environment Canada has issued an orange winter storm warning for Toronto, with 20 to 40 cm of snow expected starting Sunday. Officials warn of near-zero visibility, strong winds, lake-effect snow, and dangerous travel conditions that could last into Monday.

🤖 AI Answers Non-Emergency Calls: The Toronto Police Service will launch an AI-powered system in February to instantly answer *877 non-emergency calls, aiming to eliminate long wait times. Officials say the system will free up human operators for urgent cases, while automatically escalating calls to 911 if a situation becomes an emergency.

🚆 Free Train: Veterans and members of the Canadian Armed Forces can now ride the UP Express for free year-round between Union Station and Pearson Airport. The move by Metrolinx extends existing free travel benefits and applies to more than 460,000 Canadians with valid military ID.

⚾️ Blue Jays Unveil 50th Logo: The Toronto Blue Jays revealed a new retro-inspired logo to kick off celebrations for their 50th MLB season, debuting as a sleeve patch and City Connect hat detail in 2026. The logo launch marks the beginning of a year-long anniversary push featuring special events, stadium installations, retro promotions, and Opening Night festivities.

🚇 Going Underground: Plans for a future high-speed rail line between Toronto and Montreal could include long underground tunnel sections, particularly through dense urban areas. Experts say tunnelling may be necessary to avoid disruption at the surface, but it would significantly increase costs and complexity for the long-anticipated rail project.

📉 Population Shrinking: For the first time in years, Toronto has seen its population decline, driven by record levels of people moving elsewhere in Canada despite strong birth rates and immigration. Most are relocating to nearby cities like Oshawa and Hamilton or heading west to Alberta, citing affordability, housing costs, and quality of life.

🐌 Typical Line 5: The Toronto Transit Commission is promoting the benefits of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT despite still having no confirmed opening date. The long-delayed line, originally set to open in 2020, could launch as early as February, according to the province, with more details expected in the coming weeks.

MORE YOU NEED TO KNOW

🚉 Hit by Delays: Toronto’s new Finch West LRT recorded about 350 delays in its first month of service, according to city data, as operators work through early problems. Officials say winter weather and switch technology issues are contributing factors, with adjustments underway to improve reliability.

💰 Revenue Slumps: Revenue at Sankofa Square has dropped sharply, with commercial bookings falling from 71 days in 2024 to just 22 in 2025 amid economic uncertainty and reduced advertising spend. City officials say a new strategy and the FIFA World Cup coming to Toronto in 2026 are expected to help revive business.

🚫 Weekend Shutdown: The TTC will shut down a downtown stretch of Line 1 Yonge–University from St. Andrew to St. George starting Friday night (Jan 30) and all day Saturday for planned track work. Service will resume Sunday morning, with the TTC keeping the line open that day due to an expected winter storm.

LOST TORONTO:
Evening Telegram Building (Demolished)

The Toronto Telegram Building was a 4-storey, brick-and-stone structure located at the southeast corner of Bay and Melinda Streets, serving as the newspaper's home from 1899 to 1963.

Known as the "Grand Old Lady of Melinda Street," it famously survived the 1904 Great Toronto Fire, was expanded in the 1920s, and was demolished in the 1970s for redevelopment.

Today it is part of the Commerce Court complex, roughly where Commerce Court West is located.

THINGS TO DO IN TORONTO: THE ‘INSIDER’ SCOOP

Editor’s Pick! Toronto's Lost Shipwreck - After making headlines across Canada and beyond, the team behind the recent shipwreck discovery near Toronto is back for a second presentation—this time with more insights, stories, and answers. Join members of the expedition as they reveal what lies beneath Lake Ontario and what it means for our understanding of the region’s maritime past.
January 28 | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Location: University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail

Group of Seven artist's historic press restored and unveiled - Before fonts were digital and designs were drag-and-drop, artists like Franklin Carmichael (of the famed Group of Seven) brought their visions to life with ink, rollers, and steel. Now, his original printing press has been meticulously restored—and it’s ready for its public debut.
January 29 | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Location: The Arts and Letters Club of Toronto, 14 Elm Street

2026 Toronto Tea Festival - The kettle’s on and the wait is over. The Toronto Tea Festival returns for its 12th year, uniting 48 tea makers, artisans, and teaware experts from around the world in a two-day celebration of everything tea. Explore rare brews and innovative blends, meet the makers shaping modern tea culture, and hear from keynote speakers Jeff Fuchs and Michael D. Ham as they dive into tea’s deep roots, sustainable future, and global journey.
January 31 – February 1 | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily
Location: Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge St

Divas Of Country Music: A Violin Tribute Concert - The grit of Nashville meets the grace of strings at Divas of Country Music: A Violin Tribute Concert. Set inside the iconic Bata Shoe Museum, this one-night performance reimagines the hits of Dolly, Shania, Reba, and more through the soaring strings of internationally acclaimed violinist Royce Rich and his trio.
January 30 | 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Location: Bata Shoe Museum, 327 Bloor St. W.

RECOS: Things you will love for under $50

🔥 Warm: Stay cozy indoors
🏡 Home: These lights are taking over
🧹 Cleaning: Cleaning will never be the same
🏗️ Real Estate: How we built iconic landmarks
🛌 Sleep: How to sleep better
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The WSJ just reported the highest price ever paid for modern art at auction.

While equities, gold, bitcoin hover near highs, the art market is showing signs of early recovery after one of the longest downturns since the 1990s.

Here’s where it gets interesting→

Each investing environment is unique, but after the dot com crash, contemporary and post-war art grew ~24% a year for a decade, and after 2008, it grew ~11% annually for 12 years.*

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_{*Per Masterworks data. Investing involves risk. Past performance not indicative of future returns. Important Reg A disclosures: masterworks.com/cd}

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