Maple Express Evening | October 14, 2026 — Toronto police: crypto abduction probe leads to arrest of three Canadian Armed Forces members

1. Toronto police: Crypto abduction probe leads to arrest of three Canadian Armed Forces members

Source: CP24

Toronto police announced at a news conference Wednesday morning that three members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) are among seven people arrested in a major criminal investigation, with 82 criminal charges laid. Supt. Joe Matthews said the case dates back to the violent abduction of a man near Finch and Bayview avenues on July 25 of this year.

Matthews said the victim was approaching his vehicle when he was handcuffed and assaulted, and the suspects tried to gain access to his cryptocurrency assets and "business-related security systems" before releasing him with a warning not to contact police. Within 24 hours, a suspect vehicle was identified and two suspects were arrested, and the case "quickly unfolded" into a broader probe involving firearms and drugs.

Officers seized firearms, illicit drugs and ammunition, including about 2,500 rounds later found to have been stolen from the Canadian Armed Forces. Other items seized included a shotgun, firearms with 3D-printed receivers, GPS tracking devices, a large quantity of methamphetamine and cocaine, a crossbow and arrows, and Canadian currency. The three accused CAF members were identified by police as Talarambage Fernando, James Moreau and Jack Miley, two of whom were in the same regiment. The Department of National Defence previously confirmed the arrests of Fernando, 22, and Moreau, 29, who hold the rank of bombardier in the 7th Toronto Regiment. Police Chief Myron Demkiw called the threat they posed to the community "concerning."

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2. York police release video of shooting and fire at same Vaughan business

Source: CP24

York Regional Police on Wednesday released surveillance footage of arson and a shooting at the same business earlier this year, asking the public for help identifying a suspect believed to be involved in both incidents. The first incident happened on the morning of April 18, in the area of Islington Avenue and Kellam Street.

Police said they were called at around 9:45 a.m. when an employee reported the smell of gasoline upon arriving at work. Officers confirmed there was no fire and no injuries. In the footage released Wednesday, a lone suspect is seen walking up the front steps at around 6:30 a.m. carrying a red jerrycan, appearing to throw something at the main doors, dousing the front porch with an accelerant, throwing large rocks at the windows and then fleeing. Police said it is not clear whether the suspect tried to ignite the accelerant.

The second incident happened a few days later, on April 22. Footage shows a suspect walking up to the main doors at around 5:30 a.m. holding a jerrycan and a duffel bag, discharging a firearm seven times at the front entrance, then picking up the jerrycan and heading inside; the video cuts roughly a minute later to the suspect running down the steps. Police said there was a small fire that went out on its own, and no injuries were reported. Officers arriving at 5:40 a.m. found the front glass door smashed and determined the business sustained gunfire damage. Investigators believe the same suspect was involved in both incidents and the same suspect vehicle — a black minivan with tinted windows — was seen in both. The suspect is described as a Black man approximately 40 years old.

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3. Nationwide recall issued for various brands of cheese over Listeria

Source: CP24

Health Canada on Wednesday posted a food recall warning for various brands of cheese due to the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. The recall covers products from Farm Boy, L'Ancêtre and Life Smart.

The recall notice said there have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products. The federal agency advised customers to check whether they have the recalled products and not to consume, serve, use, sell or distribute them, instead discarding them or returning them to the place of purchase.

The notice warned that food contaminated with Listeria may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick, with symptoms including vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache and neck stiffness. Pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are "particularly at risk"; even mild, flu-like symptoms in an infected pregnant woman can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn or stillbirth, and severe cases can be fatal. The recall was triggered by test results from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), and a food safety investigation is underway that could lead to more recalls, with the CFIA verifying that all recalled products are being removed from the marketplace.

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4. Second Harvest gets $60K donation after 7 trucks vandalized; police investigating

Source: CP24

Canadian food importing business Aurora Foods announced Wednesday it is donating $60,000 plus three pallets of dry and canned goods to Second Harvest, after seven of the national charity's trucks were vandalized over the Thanksgiving weekend at its Etobicoke headquarters. Second Harvest estimates the cost of repairs at $80,000.

Second Harvest CEO Lori Nikkel told CP24 that early Sunday morning suspects entered its truck yard, cut through the vehicles' exhaust systems and stole their catalytic converters, all in less than five minutes. She said the affected vehicles could be out of service for two to three weeks and are at a repair shop while the extent of the damage is assessed. The charity has auto insurance, but the deductible for each truck is significant and a claim could affect premiums, on top of costs for more security, vehicle rentals and protective cages.

At a news conference Wednesday morning, Second Harvest thanked the community and announced the donation from Aurora Foods. Nikkel said mayoral candidate Brad Bradford reached out on Sunday and helped facilitate the connection with Aurora Foods, whose president Joe Moscato said the company felt compelled to help after hearing about the "senseless act." Nikkel said getting the trucks back on the road will help deliver fresh food to 1.5 million people in Toronto. It is not the first time the charity has been targeted — four trucks, a quarter of its fleet, were significantly damaged on New Year's Day. Toronto police said they are investigating and on Wednesday released images of a suspect vehicle, a black Infiniti G25 four-door sedan with black rims.

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5. Parents at Toronto alternative school concerned about triple-grade class

Source: CP24

Parents at a west-end Toronto alternative school say it feels like their school is being penalized for its smaller size after students from three grades were moved into the same classroom following the annual reorganization at the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). "We cannot grow our class sizes even when there's demand because the TDSB won't let us," said Anaya Ohri, outgoing co-chair of The Grove Community School's parent council and a Grade 3 parent. "They're manufacturing a problem and punishing our children for that."

The Grove, on Gladstone Avenue, is an alternative public school serving Junior Kindergarten through Grade 6, focused on community activism; equity, diversity and social justice; and environmental justice. Earlier this month the TDSB reorganized staffing at the school, cutting one of its five teachers and creating a split Grades 4, 5 and 6 class — meaning its 27 students range in age from eight to 11. Grade 6 parent Rebecca Singh said nearly all children were affected and students were told about the changes before parents were. She said 40 per cent of the students in the split class have an Individual Education Plan (IEP).

Superintendent Jhonel Morvan wrote to parents on Sept. 28 saying that triple-grade classes can, and often do, occur at smaller schools when there are too many students for one classroom but not enough money to fund other single-grade classes with a dedicated teacher, adding that the board was not able to reconsider the changes. The TDSB said The Grove has 85 students, with 27 in the triple split class, and that with so few students across those grades it cannot provide a full-time teacher for each class — one of which would have just six students. Parents say they aren't asking for special treatment, only the same admissions policy as other TDSB schools. Another Grove parent, Amirah El-Safty, said the school's enrolment intake is capped at 14 students but there were at least 19 families on the waiting list.

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6. One arrested as cyclists try to block Toronto bike lane removals for second day

Source: CP24

Demonstrators trying for a second day to block roadwork to remove Toronto bike lanes were met by police Wednesday afternoon, deepening a faceoff between Premier Doug Ford's government and cycling advocates. A protest Tuesday night ended peacefully when construction crews were escorted from Bloor Street by police.

At Wednesday afternoon's protest, at least one demonstrator in a green bike helmet was led away in handcuffs by two officers, while nearby a worker in a high-visibility vest took down a bike lane sign. Police confirmed a 25-year-old demonstrator from Hamilton was arrested and charged with mischief and obstructing a peace officer. The work comes as the province presses ahead with its plan to overhaul up to 19 kilometres of the city's protected bike lane network, starting in the premier's home turf of Etobicoke. The province frames it as traffic relief, but critics call it provincial overreach that will make streets less safe without reducing congestion.

The work along a roughly one-kilometre stretch of Bloor between Islington Avenue and Royal York Road was expected to run through Nov. 17, according to a notice on the city's website. Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said after Tuesday's protest, "make no mistake: these bike lanes are coming out." Cycle Toronto executive director Michael Longfield said he expected protests to continue "until further notice." An engineering report commissioned by the province found any congestion benefits from removing bike lanes would be negligible or short-lived, and that bike lanes were predicted to reduce crashes among all road users by 35 to 50 per cent. Mayor Olivia Chow called the plan "a gigantic waste of money" that tramples on local democracy. The city pegs the cost to remove all targeted bike lanes on Bloor, Yonge Street and University Avenue at $48 million, a figure disputed by the province.

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7. Man charged after allegedly punching victim during Toronto demonstration

Source: CP24

Toronto police say a man has been arrested and charged for allegedly assaulting a person during a demonstration in downtown Toronto over the weekend. The incident happened Saturday afternoon in the Yonge and Grosvenor Street area.

According to police, the victim was walking northbound on Yonge Street near Grosvenor Street and speaking with another demonstrator when the suspect approached from behind and allegedly punched the victim several times in the head without provocation. The victim fell to the ground and sustained injuries to their face and leg.

On Monday, the suspect turned themselves in to police. Martin Salgatar, 20, of Mississauga, has been charged with aggravated assault. The charges have not been proven in court.

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8. Boy, 15, charged in BB gun shooting at Hamilton school

Source: CP24

Hamilton police announced Wednesday that a 15-year-old boy has been charged after a 14-year-old student was shot with a BB gun at a school in Hamilton. The incident happened at St. Charles Learning Centre on Tuesday shortly before 11 a.m.

Police said they received reports that a student had been shot with a BB gun. When officers arrived, they found a 14-year-old with injuries to his face, who was taken to hospital shortly after. The suspect fled before officers arrived, but in a news release on Wednesday police announced he had been arrested.

The boy, who cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, has been charged with assault causing bodily harm, assault with a weapon, and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose. Police said the BB gun has not been recovered and the investigation is ongoing.

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9. TD, BMO named in U.S. debanking investigation report

Source: CP24

A U.S. banking regulator has identified Bank of Montreal and TD Bank, along with seven other lenders, in a report about debanking and limiting access to financial services for certain U.S. customers due to their political beliefs. The U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) released the report based on findings from a supervisory review of debanking activities at nine of the largest banks it oversees, based on 100,000 complaints at OCC-regulated institutions.

The OCC says its review was conducted after an executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump signed in August of last year, stipulating that Americans should not be denied access to financial services due to religious or political beliefs. Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan Gould said the named banks "denied, debanked and discriminated against customers and lawful businesses."

TD did not immediately respond to a request for comment, while BMO referred The Canadian Press to a statement from the Bank Policy Institute. The institute, a U.S. industry advocacy group, says it supports fair access to banking services and has been working to ensure government regulations and policies enable banks to serve law-abiding customers.

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10. Newfoundland and Labrador expecting windfall from soaring oil prices

Source: CP24

Newfoundland and Labrador's finance minister says skyrocketing oil prices are expected to deliver a windfall for the province. Finance Minister Craig Pardy had previously said he anticipated additional revenues of more than $500 million as the war in Iran sent crude prices soaring, but on Wednesday he said that figure is even higher — though the public will have to wait until later this fall for specifics.

Meanwhile, Premier Tony Wakeham says his government is still considering buying a piece of Equinor's proposed Bay du Nord offshore oil project. He told reporters Wednesday he is waiting for word from the Department of Energy and OilCo, the province's oil and gas company. The government holds shares in three oil projects off the province's east coast, and officials said in March it was considering buying up to 10 per cent of Bay du Nord.

Wakeham delivered a state-of-the-province address in St. John's on Wednesday, which marked one year since his Progressive Conservative Party ended 10 years of Liberal governments in Canada's easternmost province.

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