Maple Express | September 8, 2026 Carney warns pivot away from U.S. will come at a cost

1. Carney warns pivot away from U.S. will come at a cost in national address

Source: CP24

Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a national video address on Tuesday warning Canadians that the country's pivot away from the United States will come at a cost, but that standing still would be far worse. The video was released hours after Canada's retaliatory tariffs took effect. Carney reiterated the government's plan to respond to the U.S. trade war by striking new trade deals with other countries to become less reliant on the U.S.

"We have everything we need to pivot and prosper," Carney said. "That pivot will come at a cost. There's always a cost to action. But it doesn't come close to the cost of standing still." He said the goal is to come out stronger and more resilient so "no country can ever hold us hostage, and that we can live how we want to live."

Carney cut off trade talks with the U.S. last month after the two sides failed to reach a deal before the deadline. Canada's reciprocal tariffs, which took effect Tuesday, range from 15 to 50 per cent and target only products on the U.S. list, matching the dollar value of $27.8 billion.

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2. Canada's counter-tariffs take effect, targeting roughly 700 U.S. imports

Source: CP24

Canada's retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods took effect just after midnight on Tuesday. U.S. President Donald Trump's 50 per cent tariffs on nearly $28 billion worth of Canadian products came into force after trade talks between Ottawa and Washington broke down last month. In response, Ottawa unveiled dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs targeting the same value of U.S. goods.

The Canadian counter-tariffs target roughly 700 American imports, including dairy, plywood and sunscreen. They include a 50 per cent tariff on American dairy products such as milk and cream, a 25 per cent tariff on fresh cheese and curd, and 25 per cent tariffs on softwood including pine, fir and spruce.

Steel and aluminum products are being hit with a 50 per cent tariff, up from the current 25 per cent rate, covering rods, bars, sheets and prefabricated items such as bridges, towers, scaffolding, and door and window frames. Some beauty products and makeup are also subject to 50 per cent tariffs, including perfumes, sunscreen, lip and eye makeup, manicure and pedicure preparations, and hair products. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc's office confirmed that discussions are ongoing but that "formal trade negotiations are not taking place at this stage."

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3. T&T Supermarket to move into former Hudson's Bay store at CF Markville

Source: CP24

Asian grocer T&T Supermarket is going to take over a former Hudson's Bay store at Markham's CF Markville mall. The retailer announced last week that its store in Unionville, Ont., will relocate to the former department store space. Sprawling at 68,000 square feet, it will become the largest Asian grocery market in Markham.

Officials say the store is expected to open by 2028. "Markham has been a key part of T&T's story, and we see tremendous opportunity to continue investing in this community," CEO Tina Lee said, adding that the Unionville store has served as a "wonderful home" for the last 14 years.

When the store opens, customers can expect T&T's typical offerings, from produce to prepared foods, as well as an in-store bakery and Asian beauty section. CF Markville is located on Hwy 7, and the grocery store will take over the lower level of the former Hudson's Bay. It will be T&T's 18th store in Ontario.

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4. 'System failure' halts Finch West LRT service for over an hour

Source: CP24

Service was suspended along the entirety of the Finch West LRT for more than an hour on Tuesday morning due to what the TTC described as a "system failure." The issue was first reported just after 6 a.m., and service did not resume until a little after 7 a.m.

Shuttle buses were running between Finch West and Humber College stations during the service interruption. The TTC says there may still be delays along the line following the resumption of service.

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5. TDSB budget cuts raise concerns as students return to school

Source: CP24

School bells rang throughout Toronto on Tuesday, but advocates are sounding alarms about the impacts certain cuts could have on children's education. The Toronto District School Board announced earlier this year that the deficit for the upcoming school year is down $15 million from the initially projected $74.5 million. The board acknowledged this was made possible through "central staffing reductions and a reduction in discretionary expenses."

A notice filed with the Ministry of Labour in June revealed nearly 800 positions could be cut this fall. Officials have previously confirmed that "declining enrolment" could see around 289 teaching positions cut for the 2026-27 school year. The TDSB anticipates 5,000 fewer students, and enrolment is the driving factor of core education funding from the province.

Trustees voiced concerns. Ward 9 Trustee Alexis Dawson said that since the class-size cap rule was struck down by the provincial supervisor, the cap has effectively been removed, and she has heard of teachers handling Grade 6/7/8 and 1/2/3 split classes. Around 150 of the projected teaching cuts are at model schools, and 80 school resource child and youth worker positions were cut. About 40 vice-principal roles were also cut, and nine school cafeterias will stop selling food to students.

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6. Tentative agreement reached with University of Toronto workers

Source: CP24

A tentative agreement has been reached between the University of Toronto and more than 6,100 of its program coordinators, academic advisors and lab assistants, a day after the union voted in favour of a strike. In a statement, United Steelworkers said that after three months of "intensive bargaining," union members will now have the opportunity to ratify the new contract.

The union had said 96 per cent of members voted in favour of a strike on Monday after negotiations stalled over issues including wages, health-care benefits, remote work and AI protections.

With a tentative agreement in place, the union said the strike deadline remains in place but will be extended long enough to allow for the ratification vote. If ratified, the agreement will serve as the U of T Staff-Appointed Unit's collective agreement until June 30, 2029.

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7. Four people taken to hospital after west-end basement apartment fire

Source: CP24

Four people were taken to hospital after a fire in a basement apartment in Toronto's west end early Tuesday morning. It happened just after 3 a.m. at an address on Boustead Avenue, near Dundas and Bloor streets.

Paramedics said a youth was rushed to a burn centre with unspecified injuries. The other three victims — an adult and two children — were transported to a local hospital with minor smoke inhalation.

The fire has since been knocked down, and an investigation is underway to determine its cause.

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8. Peel police arrest suspect in knifepoint Brampton robberies

Source: CP24

A 22-year-old man who allegedly robbed several businesses in Brampton at knifepoint has been arrested. In a news release issued Tuesday, Peel Regional Police said that between Aug. 14 and Aug. 24, the suspect allegedly targeted five retail establishments in the city.

In each incident, police said, the suspect entered the business, brandished a "large" knife, and demanded money.

Brampton resident Teepinder Singh Ghuman was identified as a suspect and arrested on Aug. 29. He is charged with five counts of robbery, six counts of disguise with intent to commit an indictable offence, and one count of attempt to commit an indictable offence. Police ask anyone with information to contact them at 905-453-2121 ext. 3410 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

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9. Food Allergy Canada urges laws requiring schools to stock epinephrine

Source: CP24

Food Allergy Canada is calling on provinces to legislate that schools stock epinephrine devices, rather than leaving the initiative to individual schools and school boards. The advocacy group notes that Alberta is the only province that legislates all schools to stock epinephrine devices that aren't designated for a particular student.

"Stock epinephrine, the way to think about that, is it's like a defibrillator. It's there for emergencies in an individual where you didn't actually expect that to happen," said Jennifer Gerdts, executive director of Food Allergy Canada. Citing U.S. data, she said 25 per cent of anaphylaxis cases at school occur among students with no known history of severe allergy, and there is no reason to believe Canada is any different.

The group points to the case of six-year-old Kofi Berkley of Edmonton, who had no known allergies when he suffered a severe allergic reaction at recess last May. The school had two EpiPens on hand because of Alberta's law, and a timely injection saved him. Pediatric allergist Dr. Scott Cameron said an autoinjector costs about $100, and many families cannot afford a second one, making stock devices in schools especially important.

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10. Giller Prize longlist features 14 authors competing for $100K award

Source: CP24

Five former Giller Prize nominees are among the 14 authors longlisted for Canada's richest fiction award. Newfoundland author Wayne Johnston has made the long list for a record-tying sixth time with his tragicomic novel "The Novice of Holloway Hall," about a young woman who returns home from a convent after failing to become a nun in the 1930s. Patrick deWitt is nominated for the fourth time with the upcoming "Dodge City," which follows a young draft dodger on a drug-fuelled road trip during the Vietnam War.

Other past nominees include Michelle Good for "Eliza Sunshine," Colin McAdam for his modern retelling of "Daphnis and Chloe," and Cordelia Strube for "At Sea in a Sieve." Giller organizers said the long list, which includes nine first-time nominees, was narrowed down from more than 140 works of fiction submitted by Canadian publishers.

The Giller Prize is Canada's largest award for a work of fiction, handing out $100,000 to the winner and $10,000 to shortlisted authors. The short list is due to be announced on Oct. 5, and this year's prize is set to be awarded on Nov. 16 during a televised ceremony.

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