Good afternoon — A long-lost train is officially rolling back toward Muskoka, Toronto has hired a “traffic czar” to untangle gridlock, and a former airport is quietly turning into a $30-billion city of its own.
Meanwhile, Canada’s Olympic hockey roster is finally NHL-powered again, several mega-projects just missed their deadlines (again), and lawyers are warning that AI is already causing real trouble inside courtrooms.
Plus: empty bottles are getting harder to return, sidewalks are a slushy mess, and there’s a museum actively asking for your worst gift.
Let’s get into it.
THE DIGEST: 7 Handpicked Stories
Ontario Northlander Train Map
🚂 Train Returns to Muskoka: Ontario Northland has released the route for the revived Northlander passenger train, which will run between Toronto and Timmins with stops in Washago, Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, and Huntsville. The 740-kilometre line will include 16 total stops and operate four to seven days a week, with fares to be announced closer to launch.
🚗 Traffic Czar: Toronto has appointed Andrew Posluns as its first-ever chief congestion officer, tasking him with overseeing a new citywide plan to tackle gridlock. The former Metrolinx and Canada Infrastructure Bank executive starts Jan. 5 and will lead the city’s newly created strategic capital coordination office ahead of a congestion strategy expected this spring.
✈️ Airport Becomes $30B City: Downsview Airport is being transformed into YZD, a $30-billion, 30-year redevelopment that will turn the shuttered airfield into an urban district for 50,000 residents. The former runway will become a massive linear park linking seven neighbourhoods, with reused hangars, green infrastructure, and transit-first design anchoring one of North America’s largest city-building projects.
🥅 Canada Unveils Olympic Roster: Team Canada has named its roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, highlighted by teenage NHL star Macklin Celebrini alongside veterans like Bo Horvat, Brad Marchand, Tom Wilson, and goalies Jordan Binnington and Darcy Kuemper. It marks the first time NHL players return to Olympic play since 2014, with Canada opening the tournament against Czechia on Feb. 12.
📆 Missed Deadlines: Three major Ontario infrastructure projects, the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, the Gordie Howe International Bridge, and Ottawa’s Confederation Line East Extension, were all expected to open in 2025 but have been pushed into 2026. Ongoing testing issues, construction delays, and unresolved approvals mean residents are still waiting for projects meant to transform transit and cross-border travel.
🍺 Empty Returns: Finding a place to return beer and wine empties in Ontario is becoming more difficult as Beer Store locations continue to close and grocers are no longer required to accept returns. Advocates warn the changes could reduce participation in the province’s highly successful deposit return program and lead to more bottles and cans ending up in the trash or blue bins.
🤖 AI Court Risks: Lawyers warn that growing use of AI in Canadian courtrooms, including by self-represented litigants, is leading to errors, fake legal citations, higher costs, and even penalties. While AI can help organize information, courts and legal experts stress it can’t replace legal judgment, and misuse is already landing people in trouble.
Source: www.clio.com
MORE YOU NEED TO KNOW
🎁 Bad Gifts: Toronto’s quirky Museum of Bad Gifts is still accepting donations for its latest exhibition, inviting people to submit presents they found awkward, misguided, or just plain terrible. Each item is displayed with a note explaining why it missed the mark, proving that one person’s bad gift might still be someone else’s treasure.
🔨 Contractor Banned: Toronto has issued its maximum five-year ban to Capital Sewer Services Inc. after a forensic audit found the company intentionally overbilled the city by at least $1.1 million. Council approved the suspension following findings that a senior employee manipulated change orders for personal commission, with further audits still underway.
🌨️ Slushy Sidewalks: Toronto pedestrians are venting frustration over slush-filled, icy sidewalks after recent storms, saying walkways and transit stops remain unsafe days later. The City of Toronto says crews are clearing catch basins, shovelling sidewalks, and prioritizing major roads and transit routes, urging residents to report missed areas via 311.
LOST TORONTO:
The Yonge Street Arcade (Demolished)
The Yonge Street Arcade, opened in 1884, was Toronto’s first indoor shopping mall, inspired by grand European gallerias like Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. It featured a soaring glass roof, 267-foot-long galleria, and over 50 unique retail spaces aimed at supporting small merchants.
At the time, it was a revolutionary concept in local retail, offering natural light, steam heating, and even hydraulic elevators, decades ahead of its time.
Sadly, after years of decline and fire damage, the Arcade was demolished in 1955, replaced by a parking lot and later an office tower.
THINGS TO DO IN TORONTO: THE ‘INSIDER’ SCOOP
Editor’s Pick! Mrs. Doubtfire - The Musical - The world’s most beloved nanny is trading film for the stage in this laugh-out-loud musical based on the iconic Robin Williams classic. Expect big-hearted comedy, family feels, and unforgettable songs in this story of one dad’s wild attempt to stay close to his kids — even if it means donning a wig and Scottish accent.
January 6 | 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM
Location: Princess of Wales Theatre, 300 King St. W
Art/Wear: Sneakers x Artists - Can sneakers be art? This groundbreaking exhibit at the Bata Shoe Museum says yes. Art/Wear dives into the world of artist-designed sneakers, from rare collabs with major brands to one-of-a-kind custom kicks that challenge what “art” even means. Explore the line between fashion, identity, and fine art in this bold, provocative show.
Until March 23 | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily
Location: Bata Shoe Museum, 327 Bloor St. W.
Beaks and Brews: Morning Birds and Coffee - Coffee + nature = the best way to start your day. Join the Humber Arboretum team for a cozy winter birdwatching walk, complete with free bird-friendly coffee from Birds and Beans. Just bring a travel mug, dress for the weather, and meet at the red door, your feathered friends await.
January 7 | 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Location: Humber Arboretum, 205 Humber College Blvd (Centre for Urban Ecology)
Holidays at Arcadia Earth, The Planetarium Experience Returns - Step out of the cold and into a 360° immersive universe. Arcadia Earth’s hit Planetarium Experience is back for the holidays with daily showings (except Christmas). Watch A Vision for Tomorrow, a powerful short film on sustainability, inside a dome of light, sound, and storytelling.
Until January 4, 2026 | 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM daily
Location: Arcadia Earth, 486 Front St W, Building C
RECOS: Things you will love for under $50
🌨️ Winter: Why people love these warmers
💧 Water: The water bottle that thousands want
🛌 Bed: The best sheets for comfort
🦝 Toronto: How to learn the history of Toronto
🦶 Feet: How to keep your feet warm in January
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VIDEO OF THE WEEK
This was one of the strangest boats that took Torontonians to the Islands. You’ll never guess what powered it!
Here is the link: Click here to watch
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