Good afternoon — Toronto has reclaimed its title as Canada’s rattiest city, the Ontario Science Centre is getting a temporary new home on the waterfront, and a runner just beat the Finch West LRT in a head-to-head race.
Meanwhile, the IKEA monkey’s story has resurfaced, a floating sauna is drawing huge demand, and early forecasts are hinting at what kind of Christmas we might get this year.
Let’s get into it.
THE DIGEST: 7 Handpicked Stories
Toronto’s IKEA monkey, Darwin, is back in the news (see below).
🧪 Interim Science Centre: Ontario says it will open a temporary science centre at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre next summer, expanding the popular KidSpark pop-up into an 86,000-square-foot interim space. The move comes two years after the abrupt closure of the original Ontario Science Centre.
🐀 Rattiest Cities: Toronto has once again claimed the top spot on Orkin Canada’s annual list of the country’s “rattiest” cities, based on the number of rodent treatments performed over the past year. The 2025 rankings saw Toronto edge out Victoria, with Vancouver, Burnaby, and Richmond rounding out the top five.
🏃♂️ Runner Beats LRT: A Toronto marathon runner, Mac Bauer, raced the city’s new Finch West LRT and finished the 10.27km route in 46 minutes, while the train took 64 minutes, highlighting early concerns about speed on the $2.6-billion line. The TTC says travel times may improve with signal priority and operational tweaks.
🐒 IKEA Monkey: Thirteen years after his viral escape in a shearling coat, Darwin the IKEA monkey is now living quietly at a primate sanctuary outside Toronto. But his story highlights a bigger issue: Canada’s only dedicated primate sanctuary is at full capacity, underscoring growing concerns around exotic pet ownership and animal trafficking.
🌃 Floating Sauna: Toronto’s first-ever floating sauna has officially launched on the waterfront, bringing a Nordic-style hot-and-cold experience to Queens Quay and demand is already huge, with thousands joining the waitlist. The Löyly Floating Sauna offers 75-minute sauna sessions overlooking the skyline.
🎄 White Christmas: Toronto has about a 44% chance of a white Christmas, defined as at least two centimetres of snow on the ground on Christmas morning. While early signs point to a snowier winter, meteorologists say fluctuating temperatures and possible rain mean it’s still too early to predict whether Dec. 25 will be snow-covered.
🚘 407 Free Trip Program: Highway 407 ETR is expanding its Route Relief Program in 2026, giving eligible low-income drivers up to eight free trips per month, 96 per year, up from 72. The change takes effect Jan. 1 and is aimed at making GTA travel more affordable for seniors, students, and families facing financial strain.
MORE YOU NEED TO KNOW
🎓 Free Courses: Toronto Public Library and the University of Toronto are offering dozens of free online courses, ranging from finance and technology to leadership, healthcare, and writing. With just a library card or a free edX account, residents can take instructor-led or self-paced classes at no cost this holiday season.
🌨️ Winter Storm Disrupts Flights: Hundreds of flights were delayed and dozens cancelled at Toronto Pearson Airport on Wednesday. Airport crews worked through the morning to clear runways and de-ice planes, as nearly 112,000 travellers were expected to pass through Canada’s busiest airport despite the winter weather.
🚇 Ontario Line: Toronto’s Ontario Line is taking shape with a rare elevated subway stretch through Thorncliffe and Flemingdon Park, where crews are already drilling piles and building piers along Don Mills Road. The above-ground guideway will support three elevated stations and marks a major visual shift for the city’s rapid transit network.
Ontario Line (source: Metrolinx)
LOST TORONTO:
Grand Old Lady of Melinda Street (Demolished)
Then: The building with the clock was the Toronto Telegram building on Melinda Street, known as the "Grand Old Lady of Melinda Street." It was constructed around 1899, becoming the newspaper's home at the southeast corner of Bay and Melinda Streets until the paper moved in 1963.
Today: It was demolished in the mid-1960s (around 1964) to make way for the construction of Commerce Court West.
Top photograph shows the aftermath of The Great Fire of 1904 on Bay Street.
THINGS TO DO IN TORONTO: THE ‘INSIDER’ SCOOP
Editor’s Pick! Festive High Tea at W Toronto - Celebrate the season in stylish comfort with W Toronto’s Festive High Tea. Held in the chic Living Room lounge, this experience blends traditional high tea with bold holiday flair. Enjoy winter-spiced cheesecake, S’mores macarons, chocolate mousse, buttery scones, and your choice of loose-leaf teas, or upgrade with a glass of prosecco to toast the season in true W style.
December 1 – 31 | 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Location: Living Room, W Toronto, 90 Bloor Street East
Festive Lights at Queen’s Park - Celebrate the season at Ontario’s Legislative Building with six days of free, family-friendly holiday fun. Wander through dazzling light displays inside and outside the historic building, enjoy live music, festive crafts, photo ops with Santa and beloved characters, and shop for Ontario-made gifts. With different programming across evenings and weekends, it’s a magical experience for all ages.
December 10, 13, 17, 20, 22, 23 (see website for times)
Location: Ontario Legislative Building, 111 Wellesley St. West
Linda Rotua Sormin: Uncertain Ground - Step into an immersive, multi-sensory world of clay, sound, video, mythology, and memory. In her largest solo exhibition to date, artist Linda Rotua Sormin draws on her Indonesian heritage and Batak mythology to create a three-tiered landscape of mythical beasts, ancestral spirits, and sacred texts; where ancient knowledge collides with modern urban life.
November 6, 2025 – April 12, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Location: Gardiner Museum, 111 Queen’s Park
Fossil Quest: Scavenger Hunt at ROM - Embark on a prehistoric scavenger hunt through millions of years of natural history. Race through the ROM with your team, uncover ancient clues, solve fossil puzzles, and test your paleontology skills — no time machine required. Perfect for curious families and adventurous friends.
December 6, 2025 – February 1, 2026 (Sat & Sun) | 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen’s Park
RECOS: Things you will love for under $50
🌨️ Warm: Why people love these heated gloves
💧 Water: How copper can save your water
☕️ Coffee: The most popular mugs are back
🦝 Toronto: A short history of Toronto
📱 Phone: How to charge your phone in 2026
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VIDEO OF THE WEEK
The Beaches once had a thriving “electric” amusement park. Today, there isn’t any physical evidence that it even existed. Just wait until you see what it looked like!
Here is the link: Click here to watch
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