Good afternoon — Toronto wants your help naming its new electric ferries, a $68 cup of coffee is turning heads in the Junction Triangle, and there’s a push to stage a Maple Leafs outdoor game at the SkyDome with the CN Tower looming in the background.

Meanwhile: a tough blow for the Leafs after Auston Matthews was ruled out for the season, the mystery behind a plane flying strange looping patterns over Toronto, and why the city’s towering 100-foot “snow mountains” might be quietly harming us.

Plus: a Bike Share expansion after record ridership and a waterfront yacht club now fighting for its survival.

Let’s get into it.

THE DIGEST: 7 Handpicked Stories

⛴️ Vote To Name Electric Ferries: The City of Toronto is asking residents to help name two new electric ferries serving the Toronto Islands. Voting is open until April 6, with shortlisted names inspired by nature, the harbour, and the city’s waterfront.

☕️ $68 Coffee Arrives In Toronto: A new reservation-only café called Roasters Pack Lab is making waves with a $68 cup of rare Panama Gesha coffee. The eight-seat tasting bar in the Junction Triangle focuses on premium beans and curated coffee flights, offering a high-end, gallery-style experience for serious coffee enthusiasts.

🏒 Outdoor NHL Game: Toronto could host a major outdoor NHL game to mark the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 100th anniversary in 2027. A motion from a city councillor proposes holding the matchup at The SkyDome with the roof open, creating a dramatic skyline backdrop featuring the CN Tower. City staff will explore the idea with the NHL and MLSE, though no formal commitment has been made yet.

❄️ Toronto’s Giant Snow Piles: Toronto’s massive “snow mountains”, some reaching nearly 100 feet tall, are drawing attention. The piles contain a mix of road salt, oil, antifreeze, and debris that slowly melts into local waterways. Experts warn that the city’s heavy salt use can raise chloride levels high enough to harm fish and freshwater ecosystems.

🥅 Matthews Out For Season: Auston Matthews will miss the rest of the season after suffering a Grade 3 MCL tear following a knee-on-knee hit from Radko Gudas. The Toronto Maple Leafs captain’s injury deals a major blow to the team’s playoff hopes, while Gudas received a five-game suspension for the hit.

🎵 Canadian Blues Awards Debut: The inaugural Canadian Blues Music Awards will take place March 30 at Phoenix Concert Theatre, marking a new national awards program celebrating Canada’s blues scene. The event replaces the long-running Maple Blues Awards and aims to raise the profile of blues music across the country.

✈️ Mysterious Plane Speculation: A small Cessna 172 Skyhawk flying in tight, methodical loops over Toronto caught the attention of residents and flight trackers. The unusual pattern, led to hundreds of comments speculating about the aircraft’s purpose. Some observers believe the plane was conducting a LiDAR or aerial survey, though the operator has not confirmed the reason.

MORE YOU NEED TO KNOW

⚾️ Jays Broadcast: Former MLB catcher Joe Siddall will replace longtime commentator Buck Martinez on Toronto Blue Jays TV broadcasts. Siddall is expected to call about 125–130 games alongside Dan Shulman this season after Martinez announced his retirement earlier this year.

⛔️ Last Chance: The Toronto Humber Yacht Club has been given three months to prove it can address community concerns before the city decides whether to shut it down. Neighbours have complained for years about jet skis, speeding boats, littering, and damage to the Humber River’s natural habitat. The club says it plans to propose changes such as limiting the number of watercraft.

🚴 Bike Share Network: Toronto is expanding its Bike Share system in 2026 after record ridership last year. The city plans to add 200 new e-bikes, 750 standard bikes, 350 charging docks, and about 1,200 solar-powered docking points across the network. The move follows 7.8 million trips in 2025, with e-bikes proving especially popular.

LOST TORONTO:
The Temple Building (Demolished)

The Temple Building in Toronto, designed by local architect George W. Gouinlock and completed in 1896, was a groundbreaking 12-storey structure at the northwest corner of Richmond and Bay Streets. Known as one of the city's first skyscrapers, it served as the world headquarters for the Independent Order of Foresters (IOF), a major fraternal insurance society.

The building featured a Romanesque Revival style with a cast-iron frame, stone, and brick construction, inspired by Chicago's Rookery Building.

Despite being built to last, it was demolished in 1970 to make way for modern office space. It was replaced by the 32-storey Queen-Bay Centre (now 390 Bay Street), completed in the early 1970s. The demolition of this building is often cited as a significant loss of early Toronto architectural history.

THINGS TO DO IN TORONTO: THE ‘INSIDER’ SCOOP

Editor’s Pick! Spirit of the 1920s Soirée - Step back into the glamour of the Jazz Age at the Spirit of the 1920s Soirée, an elegant cocktail-style evening set inside the historic Distillery District. Hosted at Spirit of York Distillery, the event blends live jazz, refined cuisine, and handcrafted cocktails for a night inspired by the sophistication of the 1920s. Guests can mingle and dance to live music by John Amato and his five-piece jazz ensemble while enjoying cocktails made with Spirit of York’s house-distilled spirits and French-inspired canapés prepared by fine dining chef Nico.
Curated by Aurelia Events Company.
March 21 | 8:00 PM – 12:00 AM
Location: Spirit of York Distillery, Distillery District

Shokkan: Japanese Art through the Sense of Touch at ROM - A ROM-original exhibition that explores the powerful relationship between Japanese objects and the human sense of touch. Known as shokkan, this concept goes beyond physical sensation to include memory, language, sight, and sound,offering a deeper way to experience and understand Japanese art.
February 7 – July 19 | 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Location: Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen’s Park Ave

Reid's Toronto Cocktail Competition - An evening of inventive drinks, friendly rivalry, and some of the city’s top bartending talent. Hosted at Reid’s Distillery, the event brings together four skilled bartenders who will each present their own original cocktail creations. Guests will sample a flight of four unique cocktails using a tasting punch card, meet the bartenders behind the drinks, and take part in the experience by voting for the People’s Choice award.
March 18 | 7:30 PM – 11:00 PM
Location: Reid’s Distillery, 32 Logan Ave

March Break 2026 at the AGO - March Break at the AGO returns for nine days of hands-on creativity and family-friendly activities throughout the gallery. From March 14 to 22, visitors can pick up a free AGO PLAY activity booklet and explore artmaking challenges, scavenger hunts, games, and discussion prompts designed to spark curiosity and creativity. All programming is included with general admission.
March 14 – 22 | 10:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas St W

Curator Talk: Celebrating the Most Collaborated Sneakers - The stories behind some of the most iconic shoes in sneaker history. Presented alongside the exhibition Art/Wear: Sneakers x Artists, this talk examines the cultural impact and design legacy of models that have become the most frequent collaborators in art and fashion. The discussion will highlight legendary silhouettes including the Converse All Star, Nike Air Force 1, Air Jordan 1, and Vans Slip-On.
March 22 | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Location: Bata Shoe Museum, 327 Bloor St. W.

Cover to Cover: A Mini Magazine Conference - A one-day event dedicated to the people, ideas, and stories shaping the modern magazine world. Presented by Issues Magazine Shop, the conference brings together founders, publishers, writers, and creatives to explore the evolving role of magazines across independent publishing and major media outlets.
March 22 | 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Location: East Room, BIG ROOM, 50 Carroll St

RECOS: Things you will love for around $50

🩻 Health: Why you should ditch plastic.
💪 GYM: Workout from home.
🥦 Food: How to grow vegetables.
☕️ Coffee: The right way to brew coffee.
🏃 Running: I finished an Ironman in this hat.
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VIDEO OF THE WEEK

There's a half-built gothic cathedral hidden in Toronto and almost nobody knows it.

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