Maple Express | September 19, 2026 — Two stabbed in west-end Toronto; 2-4 suspects sought

1. Two stabbed in west-end Toronto; 2-4 suspects sought

Source: CP24

Toronto police are investigating a stabbing in the city's west end. Police say officers were called to the area of Dufferin Street and St. Clair Avenue West at about 2 a.m. Saturday. Two victims were rushed to hospital with serious injuries.

Police say between two and four suspects remain outstanding. No suspect descriptions are available, but investigators believe they fled in a dark red vehicle.

Eastbound St. Clair Avenue West is closed between Northcliffe Boulevard and Glenholme Avenue as police investigate. Anyone with information is asked to contact police.

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2. Shots fired at Markham home; two suspects dressed in black sought

Source: CP24

York Regional Police are investigating after multiple shots were fired at a Markham home. Police say officers responded to the Warden Avenue and Highway 7 area at around 2 a.m. Saturday.

In a social media post, police say two males wearing all black got out of a white Honda Civic, walked up the driveway and fired multiple rounds at the residence.

Police are asking people to avoid the area while a large police presence remains at the scene. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 905-895-1221 ext. 7500.

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3. Woman, 23, wanted after fake gold chain used in Scarborough robbery

Source: CP24

Toronto police are searching for a 23-year-old woman suspected of using a fake gold chain to steal a victim's real necklace in Scarborough earlier this year. Police say the incident happened at about 11 a.m. on June 26 in the area of Ellesmere Road and Midland Avenue.

Police say the victim was walking through the parking lot of a commercial building when a woman called out from her vehicle and asked for directions. A man then drove into the parking lot beside the victim and also asked for directions. The woman got out and placed a fake gold chain around the victim's neck, and while doing so ripped off the victim's personal chain.

Surveillance video shows the two suspects fleeing in separate vehicles, with the victim chasing after them. Investigators have identified the female suspect as 23-year-old Andreea Ispas of Toronto, who is wanted for robbery; the male suspect has not been identified. Police describe the woman as about five-foot-five with a slim build and black hair, last seen wearing a black dress with white trim and white shoes. Anyone with information is asked to contact police.

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4. 78-year-old kayaker missing 8 days after entering Humber River

Source: CP24

Toronto police are searching for a missing 78-year-old man. Police say the man entered the Humber River in an inflatable kayak eight days ago and hasn't been seen since, and investigators are concerned for his safety.

At a news conference on Friday, Duty Insp. Scott Shutt said the man, identified only by his first name, David, entered the river near South Kingsway and The Queensway at approximately 10 a.m. on Sept. 10. Police weren't aware David was missing until Sept. 15, when they attended his address — where he lives alone — after receiving a report for the smell of fire.

A vehicle registered to David was later found abandoned near the site where he entered the river. The Toronto Police Marine Unit and Peel Police Marine Unit are involved in the search, and drones have also been deployed. The kayak has not been recovered. David is described as five-foot-eight with black and grey hair and a thin chinstrap beard, last seen wearing a red shirt, black and red vest, black pants and black shoes. Anyone with information is asked to call 33 Division or 416-808-2200.

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5. TIFF wraps up: hits and misses from this year's festival

Source: CP24

The 51st Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) wraps up Sunday. The festival opened amid tensions between Canada and the United States, rising concerns about artificial intelligence in filmmaking, and a major evolution in how the arts organization courts industry members.

This year's race for TIFF's People's Choice Award is fierce. Jesse Eisenberg's comedy "The Debut" moved audiences to tears; Peter Farrelly's "I Play Rocky" had a knockout premiere; and "Club Kid," the comedy-drama from first-time filmmaker Jordan Firstman, has captured viewers' hearts. Critics are also raving about "Wild Horse Nine" from Oscar-winning filmmaker Martin McDonagh.

The buzziest star was arguably Hudson Williams, the breakout "Heated Rivalry" actor. Prime Minister Mark Carney walked the red carpet ahead of the TIFF Tribute Awards and received the warmest reception from the public, louder even than the cheers for award-recipient Seth Rogen. Former prime minister Justin Trudeau used the festival to launch his new entertainment production company, Hope and Hard Work, announcing several projects in development alongside longtime chief of staff Katie Telford.

The festival also drew controversy. Director Danny Boyle's new film "Ink" used AI to animate old photographs, drawing jeers from some audience members. Filmgoers also complained about high ticket prices — premium screenings with cast Q-and-As were listed for upwards of $128 during member sales, with resale prices several times higher. TIFF's first official market drew more than 7,010 delegates, a 40 per cent rise from the roughly 5,000 industry members who usually attend, including 1,473 buyers, up 19 per cent from 2025.

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6. Canadian researcher blasts 'outdated' Covid policies, warns on Ebola risk

Source: CP24

University of Calgary professor Mark Ungrin has spent years researching what he believes is a significant concern for the health of all Canadians. He says Canada's health policy and the federal government's response to Covid were based on outdated information — and that the same policy largely remains in place today.

Ungrin says that when Covid hit, little attention was paid to aerosol transmission. Infection control leaders based their decisions on outdated understandings of aerosol biology and disease transmission, and essentially assumed Covid could not be airborne — a mistake we can now clearly see, he said. He noted that the idea that aerosols simply fall to the ground within three feet was highlighted as illogical as far back as the SARS Commission report in 2006.

Dr. David Keegan, a family medicine professor at the University of Calgary who became chair of the National Advisory Committee on Preventive Health Services this June, said Ungrin raises important issues about research integrity and what should be the foundation for public health decisions. He said the precautionary principle should be applied to new and evolving public health threats. Ungrin warned that the same gamble once made about Covid not being airborne is now being made with Ebola.

The debate also matters to long Covid patients. Kerri Bowser contracted long Covid in January 2023, and her life changed completely. She says it cost her her identity, and her biggest loss is not being the mother she wanted to be to her six-year-old daughter. A spokesperson for the Public Health Agency of Canada, Mark Johnson, said the government continues to work to ensure Canada is prepared for future public health emergencies, including the new Canada's Pandemic Preparedness Plan, whose Core Content was released on May 19, 2026.

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7. Canada silent on Turkey's treatment of LGBTQ+ groups

Source: CP24

As Canada negotiates a possible free-trade deal with Turkey, the Carney government has opted against joining Germany, France and others in condemning Turkey's crackdown on LGBTQ+ organizations.

Over the past week, Turkish authorities targeted multiple LGBTQ+ groups and individuals, detaining dozens of activists, breaking into association offices and raiding popular hangouts. Authorities also stopped protests against the raids and banned access to numerous social media accounts, even though same-sex activity is not illegal in Turkey. Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek wrote on social media that the investigation of 162 suspects, nine associations and 13 businesses was meant to "protect children, the institution of the family, and public order."

The advocacy group ILGA-Europe is urging countries to speak out, saying roughly 300 people had been arrested as of Thursday and warning the crackdown could lead to further government actions against democracy and the rule of law. The European Union also expressed concern this week. In a joint statement Thursday, France, Sweden, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and Iceland called the crackdown "deeply troubling." Asked why Ottawa was not part of the joint statement, Global Affairs Canada did not answer directly, issuing a statement affirming support for LGBTQ+ rights that did not mention Turkey at all.

In July, Turkey and Canada announced the launch of negotiations on a free-trade deal. Prime Minister Mark Carney's government is seeking new market access around the world, and he has argued that closed-door conversations on rights are more productive than "lecturing countries from afar." Ottawa also did not issue a statement in April when Senegal expanded criminal penalties against LGBTQ+ people.

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8. The hidden cost of university is rising in Canada — but one place stays cheap

Source: CP24

At Memorial University of Newfoundland, student campaigner Nicholas Keough is resuming one of the province's long-running political fights — collecting signatures on a new petition to again freeze tuition rates.

Tuition at the university was frozen between 1999 and 2021, fixing the yearly cost of a full course load at under $3,000. When the freeze was lifted in 2022, fees more than doubled, hitting $6,750 for 10 courses. Politicians then reinstated a new freeze in 2026. Keough says he knows students who had to take on extra jobs to pay the higher fees, and that many students and parents were shocked by the increase.

Although the university says its new fees are still among the lowest in the country, that gap is no longer as wide as it was in 2021. According to Statistics Canada, the average yearly cost of an undergraduate program for Canadian students, including tuition and other mandatory fees, rose from $7,915 in 2022 to $9,292 in 2026, a growth of about 4.1 per cent each year. Graduate program costs rose from $8,400 in 2022 to $9,273 in 2026. Keough points out that governments are pulling away from subsidizing universities, noting that Ontario lifted its tuition freeze earlier in 2026.

Andrew Lo, CEO of the financial planning firm Embark, says rising tuition is stressing parents, and that staying in a dorm is "really skyrocketing" — leading some families to avoid opening an RESP. Erika Merschrod, president of Memorial University's faculty association, says the challenge is that post-secondary education falls under provincial jurisdiction, letting the federal government off the hook, when really both federal and provincial support are needed.

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9. Failed crop forces cancellation of pumpkin festival west of Edmonton

Source: CP24

A failed crop has squashed one farm's annual pumpkin festival. Kiwi Garden Centre and Nursery announced Thursday that excessive rain in June and July devastated its pumpkin crop, forcing the cancellation of this year's event.

The Edmonton region, along with much of central Alberta, experienced an exceptionally wet summer. The area recorded a record 271 millimetres of rain in June, followed by the second-rainiest July on record with 265 millimetres. Farm owner Ashleigh Rivera says she and her staff replanted the crop more than once, but the efforts failed. Two fields were washed out by heavy rain, damaging the corn maze crop and slowing pumpkin growth.

The garden centre, located west of Edmonton on Highway 16 between Acheson and Spruce Grove, typically grows more than 1,000 pumpkins for sale. This year it produced just 45 to 55 pumpkins, "all pretty small in size." Rivera says the soil and plants were "all gone." Flood damage will also force the cancellation of the farm's annual Christmas festival.

Linda Gorim, an associate professor at the University of Alberta and Western Grains Research Foundation chair in cropping systems, says flooding across several parts of the province has affected crops of all kinds because they are bred for more typical growing conditions. The wet weather continues to create challenges, with many farmers struggling to get equipment into their fields. She warns the rainy weather could also extend into next year — fall harvest is critical not only for this season's sales but also for preparing fields for crops such as winter wheat.

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10. Canada one win away from Olympic berth after sweeping Mexico

Source: CP24

In a qualifying tournament match Friday in Moncton, Canada's men's volleyball team beat Mexico 3-0, moving a win away from qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Set scores were 25-21, 25-18 and 25-13.

Canada captain Eric Loeppky led the way with a game-high 17 points — 15 on attack and two from blocks. Sharone Vernon-Evans added 13 points, while Stephen Maar and Jackson Howe each added 10. Mauro Fuentes led Mexico with eight points.

Canada will face Cuba on Saturday for an Olympic berth. Canada, Cuba, Mexico and the Dominican Republic advanced to the four-team qualifying tournament based on their performance at the recent NORCECA championship, where Canada finished runner-up to Olympic-host the United States.

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