Maple Express | September 4, 2026: Cleanup continues after destructive Ontario thunderstorms, hail

1. Cleanup continues after destructive Ontario thunderstorms, hail

Source: CP24

On Friday, as crews continued to restore power, the number of homes and businesses in southern Ontario still in the dark dropped significantly. Dangerous thunderstorms and high winds tore through the region on Wednesday, uprooting trees, downing power lines and flooding major streets, with more than 100 millimetres of rain falling in some areas.

Toronto fire officials reported nearly 1,500 calls over a 24-hour period, their second-highest daily call volume, behind only the 2013 ice storm. City manager Paul Johnson called it a "100-year storm" that caused widespread destruction in Toronto and the surrounding areas.

Among the most damaged structures was the 50,000-capacity Rogers Stadium, where bleachers were ripped out and grandstands partially collapsed. The Northern Tornadoes Project says the damage in Toronto appears to have been caused by downbursts.

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2. Canada's economy sheds 42,000 jobs in August, unemployment rate steady: StatCan

Source: CP24

Statistics Canada said Friday that Canada's economy lost 42,000 jobs in August, as the previously hot labour market stalled out to end the summer. The unemployment rate held steady at 6.4 per cent.

The loss fell short of economists' expectations for a gain of 15,000 positions, ending a hot streak that saw 181,000 jobs added from April through July. The public sector shed 20,000 positions in its third straight month of losses, while the manufacturing sector — hit hard by U.S. tariffs — proved a surprise pocket of strength with a gain of 22,000 jobs.

The annual increase in average hourly wages cooled to two per cent in August, down from 2.8 per cent in July and 3.3 per cent in June, the lowest since November 2017. TD Bank senior economist Andrew Hencic said one month of soft data should not define the labour market, arguing that steadiness in the unemployment rate matters more than the headline job losses.

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3. PCs, NDP hold on to their seats in Ontario byelections

Source: CP24

Little changed at Queen's Park after Premier Doug Ford's Progressive Conservatives and the Opposition New Democrats held on to their seats in three byelections held Thursday.

Progressive Conservative Jeff Beattie won Hamilton East–Stoney Creek with nearly 39 per cent of the vote over NDP candidate Monique Taylor's 33 per cent. Conservative Susan Lahey won York–Simcoe with 49.8 per cent of the vote, taking over the seat of former Treasury Board president Caroline Mulroney, who resigned in June.

In Scarborough Southwest, NDP candidate Fatima Shaban emerged as the winner with more than 40 per cent of the vote. According to Elections Ontario's unofficial results, voter turnout across all three races was just over 25 per cent.

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4. Woman in her 70s struck by vehicle in Scarborough, suffers life-threatening injuries

Source: CP24

Toronto paramedics say a woman in her 70s was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries after she was struck by a car in Scarborough on Friday morning.

It happened near Bridletowne Circle and Finch Avenue East shortly before 6:15 a.m. Paramedics said the woman was taken to a trauma centre for treatment. According to police, the driver remained at the scene.

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5. Pedestrian pinned by garbage truck in downtown Toronto, seriously injured

Source: CP24

A pedestrian struck by a garbage truck in the city's downtown core has suffered serious injuries, Toronto paramedics confirmed. It happened near Adelaide and Brant streets at around 9:45 a.m. on Friday.

Paramedics said the person was pinned by the vehicle and suffered severe, life-altering injuries. The pedestrian has been identified as a 28-year-old woman. This is a breaking news story.

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6. Two arrested after Brampton home invasion left two residents shot

Source: CP24

Two people have been arrested after a violent home invasion in Brampton left two residents with gunshot wounds, Peel police say.

The incident happened around 4:30 a.m. on June 14 at a home near McLaughlin Road and Steeles Avenue West. Five occupants were asleep inside when three suspects forcibly entered through a rear glass door, while a fourth suspect remained in a nearby vehicle. Two residents were shot and have since been released from hospital.

Investigators arrested two people on July 15 — 18-year-old Toronto man Javaunie Thomas and a 16-year-old Toronto youth — who have each been charged with attempted murder using a firearm, aggravated assault and robbery. Two other suspects remain outstanding as the investigation continues.

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7. What you need to know about insurance after major Ontario storm

Source: CP24

As southern Ontario residents pick up the pieces after Wednesday's destructive storm, navigating insurance can be overwhelming. Matt Hands, vice-president of insurance at Ratehub.ca, says to start by checking your policy to determine whether your home or vehicle is covered for storm damage.

Hands says most standard home insurance policies cover wind- and hail-related damages, but may not cover flooding. For flood-related damages, homeowners should ensure they have added overland water coverage and potentially sewer backup coverage, depending on how water entered the home.

Not all auto insurance is built the same, he noted — comprehensive policies cover flood, hail or wind damage, while basic policies may not. He also advised documenting damages and starting a claim early, since others will be filing claims too and could backlog the system.

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8. Canadians will have alternatives to U.S. products under counter-tariffs, expert says

Source: CP24

One expert says the upcoming counter-tariffs on U.S. products will hurt Canadians less than the last time. McMaster University economist Coling Mang told CTV Your Morning on Friday that the federal government has been more prudent about which U.S. goods to tariff this time.

On Aug. 22, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs on about 700 U.S. imports worth $27.6 billion, to take effect at 12:01 a.m. on Sept. 8. Mang noted that around 1,800 U.S. products were tariffed last year, while this year it's half that number, with 300 of the 700 already carrying tariffs.

He advised Canadians to stock up on specific American items ahead of the Tuesday deadline, such as American-made lipstick and clothing. The average price increase for tariffed items last year was six per cent, he said, because retailers absorbed three-quarters of the cost themselves.

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9. Ontario man still waiting for refunds after buying World Cup tickets through a promoter

Source: CP24

Carlos Da Silva was already on his way to Toronto Stadium to watch a World Cup match with his son when he received a text telling him to turn around — his tickets would not be coming through. The Vaughan resident had bought tickets through Balance Promotions Inc. for the Canada v. Bosnia and Herzegovina FIFA World Cup game, paying $5,250 via e-transfer for four tickets, roughly $1,310 per seat.

Instead of watching the first-ever World Cup match on Canadian soil, Da Silva said they watched from inside a restaurant. The World Cup is long over and he is still waiting for his money back, having joined a WhatsApp group of about 30 others in a similar situation — losses he estimates total more than $100,000 among everyone.

Halton Regional Police confirmed a report has been filed and that its Financial Crimes Unit is investigating 11 complaints. In an email to those awaiting refunds, Balance Promotions Inc. asked for "additional time" to complete them, acknowledging some refund timelines had not been met.

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10. $13.8M in illicit tobacco and nicotine products seized at southern Ontario border crossings in August

Source: CP24

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers at land ports of entry across southern Ontario seized more than $13.8 million worth of illicit tobacco and nicotine products in August, with most interceptions involving large commercial shipments entering from the United States.

According to CBSA, the seizures prevented illegal tobacco and nicotine products from entering the Canadian market and disrupted a revenue source linked to organized crime. Proceeds from the illicit tobacco trade are often used to support other criminal activities in Canada and abroad.

Among the largest seizures were two separate interceptions of loose-leaf tobacco at the Blue Water Bridge in Point Edward, Ont. Since Jan. 1, 2026, CBSA officers in the southern Ontario region have seized more than $52.2 million worth of tobacco and nicotine products.

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