Toronto residents may be largely unhappy with the loss of what was undeniably among the city's most scenic and lively skating rinks, but it looks like they will soon be able to at least try and enjoy the public plaza replacing it. Photos recently taken of the Harbourfront Centre, which used to be home to the Natrel outdoor rink with its unrivalled views of both the lake and the CN Tower, shows that construction on the former site of the attraction is nearing completion, if not fully done. It appears, based on a snapshot shared to a local community Facebook group, that ..read more

If you've ever dreamed of leaving Toronto and moving abroad, a new real estate report on housing affordability in North America and beyond may help you decide the next place you'd like to call home.  Although the average price of a detached home in Toronto is now well past the $1 million mark, many countries around the world are similarly grappling with high inflation and skyrocketing home prices.  To gain insights into how housing affordability in North American cities compares with other cities around the world, real estate agency Zoocasa analyzed home prices across 23 m ..read more

A group of TTC workers is being lauded for their quick action in saving a dog that was found wandering alone in the parking lot of a subway yard last week. The pup, a husky, was spotted "lonely and frightened" around Wilson Division in the wee hours of the morning last Thursday. Unsure of where the doggo came from or who it might belong to, two employees working at the hub near Highway 401 and Allen Road decided it was best to take the pet in and offer it some water and comfort until Toronto Animal Services was able to come by. During the visit, the little gal was taken into an ..read more

Have you found yourself ignoring the best-before date on that carton of milk or tub of salsa in the fridge in an attempt to save some money due to high food prices? According to a new survey conducted by the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, many Canadians are doing the same. The research lab found that over half of respondents (58 per cent) said they were "more inclined" to eat food past its best-before dates because of high grocery prices. Among these respondents, 23.1 per cent said they "always" eat food past its best-before date or if it seems overripe, while 38.6 per cent ..read more

Yet another video of a massive lineup for a job fair in Toronto is making rounds on social media this week, with similar clips having ignited debates about the city's competitive job market, rising unemployment, and housing in the GTA.  The latest congested job fair took place at a Mediterranean seafood restaurant, Toronto Beach Club, located just a few steps away from Woodbine Beach at 1681 Lake Shore Blvd E.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by AreaCode416ix (@areacode416ix) A spokesperson confirmed to blogTO that the restaurant was hiring for and inte ..read more

Popular King West establishment Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse is gearing up to open continue serving discerning Toronto carnivores from a new location. Considered one of Toronto's best steakhouses by blogTO readers, Jacobs will soon move its main operation to the heart of downtown, according to newly uncovered plans. City documents reveal that the Michelin-credited steakhouse will soon relocate to the recently completed first phase in the CIBC Square office complex at 81 Bay Street. Building permits from late 2023 and a signage permit application from mid-April unearthed by blogTO reveal&n ..read more

A building in Toronto's Chinatown neighbourhood could soon be transformed into a new heavily-themed landmark for the area. A significant renovation is planned for an existing commercial building at the southeast corner of Spadina and Dundas, presenting the biggest placemaking opportunity for the heart of the city's Chinese-Canadian community in a generation. A 2023 signage application with the City of Toronto was the first indication that something unique was brewing at 283 Spadina Avenue, and a more recent application reveals that an entirely new design has been proposed that doubl ..read more

A Toronto grocery store chain is officially closing all of their locations in and around the city this month. Toronto, Oakville and Thornhill shoppers are about to lose one more option for  groceries, as Organic Garage, who proudly offer "healthy food for less," wind down to shutter all of their locations. The closure comes as a huge surprise to devoted shoppers, who rely on the chain's four locations in Toronto and the GTA for affordable certified organic goodies in the city. Well, affordable by Ontario standards, at least. Unfortunately, Organic Garage's reign as a source of budge ..read more

Toronto will have to wait another few years for the new Ontario Line's planned 2031 opening, but things are already heating up at the 15 future station sites of the upcoming 15.6-kilometre subway route. Many of these stations are well into their early construction works, including the future site of the King-Bathurst Station, where a flurry of activity is ongoing at the intersection's northeast and southeast corners. The future Ontario Line station at this location will incorporate the heritage facades of a 1902 Toronto Dominion Bank building (formerly The Banknote Restaurant) and a 1904-buil ..read more

An alleged impaired driver in Hamilton brought a whole new meaning to "in the right place at the right time" this week, when they parked at a police station following a crash.   The driver of a luxury Bentley was spotted driving erratically eastbound on King Street at Nash Road just before 4 a.m. on Wednesday by the Hamilton Police Service (HPS).  The driver of this vehicle took the scenic route to jail. Shortly before 4am, police observed a vehicle driving erratically eastbound on King St. at Nash Rd #HamOnt. The vehicle struck a curb, severely damaging the left fr ..read more