Maple Evening Express | Aug 19, 2026: Markham Indy apologizes after botched opening day

1. Markham Indy president apologizes after botched opening day

The 2026 Honda Indy was held in Markham for the first time this year, but the opening day was a disappointment for many fans as the track was not ready in time and all on-track activities were cancelled. Race president Jeff Atkinson publicly apologized on Wednesday, saying his team could not finish the course until early Saturday morning and could not hold Friday's practice sessions as scheduled. "We know we disappointed a lot of the people that were here... and for that we're sorry," he said.

The event moved to Markham after being held at Toronto's Exhibition Place since 1986, and Markham is contracted to host it for the next four years. Because the new 12-turn, 3.52-kilometre temporary course was built for the first time, it needed a full inspection to meet FIA standards. The track ran between Kennedy Road, Enterprise Boulevard, the Unionville GO tracks and Highway 407, creating enormous time pressure.

Although Friday was cancelled, Saturday featured 12 hours of on-track action for all classes, and Sunday's race went ahead with Sweden's Marcus Ericsson taking the win. Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti noted that the Unionville GO station was incorporated into the build-out, giving 71 per cent of racegoers an easier commute. However, the city's capital spending for the event has exceeded $12 million, with Ontario and the federal government also investing $1.5 million and $3.5 million respectively, raising questions about the event's economic return.

2. Scarborough resident charged after firing gun at vehicle theft suspects

At about 2:41 a.m. Wednesday, a resident in the Cliffcrest neighbourhood near Kingston and McCowan roads found multiple suspects attempting to steal a vehicle from the driveway of their home, and one resident fired a gun. The suspects fled before police arrived.

Toronto police said a nearby dwelling sustained damage from the gunfire, and no injuries have been reported. Francis Betinvieh, 37, of Toronto, has been charged with discharge firearm recklessly and was scheduled to appear in bail court on Aug. 19. Police confirmed the vehicle the suspects allegedly tried to steal belonged to the residents of the same home. The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-4300 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

The incident has renewed debate about self-defence and the use of firearms: a resident who fired to protect their own property now faces criminal charges. Police stressed that any gunfire can endanger others, and members of the public should call police immediately instead of taking matters into their own hands.

3. Missing pilot who took off from Oshawa airport found dead

The body of David Douglas, the 73-year-old pilot who went missing after taking off from Oshawa Executive Airport last Friday, has been found. Ontario Provincial Police confirmed Wednesday that the submerged aircraft and the pilot's body were discovered in Wolf Lake in the Kawartha Lakes region.

Douglas, an experienced pilot, took off on Aug. 14 in his blue-and-yellow single-engine home-built aircraft and failed to return as expected an hour later. On Sunday, aircraft debris was recovered from Wolf Lake, roughly 66 kilometres northeast of Oshawa airport, and it has since been determined to be the missing man's plane. Police worked with the Trenton Joint Rescue Coordination Centre and spent several days searching the area near Kirkfield.

The OPP extended its sincere condolences to the pilot's family and thanked the public for information and support throughout the search. Douglas typically flew south of the Kawartha Lakes township and north of Lake Scugog, and the aircraft's last known location is believed to have been near Balsam Lake. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is investigating the circumstances of the crash.

4. Toronto ranks third in tech industry talent across North America

Toronto has been ranked the third-best city in North America at producing and concentrating top tech talent, according to the latest Scoring Tech Talent report by real estate services firm CBRE. Toronto scored 72.73, placing behind only the San Francisco Bay Area (81.98) and Seattle (74.37), ahead of major U.S. cities including New York and Austin.

Between 2022 and 2025, Toronto added 75,000 tech jobs, leading all North American markets in tech industry job creation. The report also ranked Toronto fifth for AI employment, with 33,419 AI-focused tech workers as of June 2026, outpacing Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and Atlanta.

Six Canadian markets made the top 15 this year: Vancouver ranked ninth, Waterloo Region 10th, Montreal 11th, Ottawa 14th and Calgary 15th. Julia Konafal of Golden Ventures said Toronto has top universities, researchers and a strong network of investors and founders. "Talent is one of the hardest pieces of building a great technology ecosystem, and we're so lucky to have it," she said.

5. Long-time Toronto councillor Paula Fletcher won't seek re-election

Paula Fletcher, who has served as a Toronto city councillor since 2003, announced Wednesday that she is withdrawing her candidacy in Toronto-Danforth and will not seek re-election — just two days after announcing she would run for another term.

In a lengthy statement posted on X, the Ward 14 representative said she made the decision while paddleboarding in Lake Ontario. "While I looked out over our beautiful city in the morning light, I thought long and hard about the past 23 years and the great privilege I've had to serve the many communities in Toronto-Danforth," she wrote, reflecting on her role in the revitalization of Toronto's waterfront and the restoration of the Don River. "It's time to pass the torch to the next generation."

Fletcher said she will finish her term in mid-November when a new local councillor is elected. Torontonians head to the polls on Oct. 26. A former Liberal MP has already joined the race for Toronto City Council, and competition in the Danforth ward is expected to be intense.

6. TIFF touts its first market, says Canadian creators will benefit

Toronto International Film Festival CEO Cameron Bailey announced Wednesday the launch of "TIFF: The Market," a new marketplace where filmmakers can shop around their projects, calling it the festival's "biggest new thing" since it opened its King Street headquarters 16 years ago.

The market offers creators the opportunity to make deals with financiers and connect producers with distributors. Charles Tremblay, TIFF's head of market, says they're on track to welcome 6,000 delegates from more than 80 countries with 230 exhibitors, and Bailey says Canadian creators will be at the centre of it all. Without the business side of the film industry, he said, the films themselves wouldn't happen.

This year's Canadian lineup includes 61 features and shorts, 55 of which are having their world premiere at TIFF, including "Villeneuve: The Rise of a Legend," a biopic about Canadian F1 racer Gilles Villeneuve; "Closing Night," about a Hollywood star reconnecting with her family; and "Turtle Island Rap" about three Indigenous rappers.

7. CNE preview: Astronaut Jeremy Hansen to attend CNE opening

The 2026 Canadian National Exhibition is about to open, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen will attend the opening day festivities. CP24 reporter Jessica Smith got a preview of what this year's CNE will offer before opening day.

Organizers have also applied lessons from the World Cup, with the TTC extending service to handle crowds during the CNE. As one of Toronto's most iconic summer events, the CNE attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year with rides, food, concerts and exhibitions.

Hansen's appearance adds excitement to this year's opening. One of Canada's most prominent astronauts, Hansen trained for the Artemis II lunar mission, and his presence makes the CNE opening highly anticipated.

8. OSSTF calls for repeal of bargaining law as negotiations remain stalled

The union representing Ontario's secondary school teachers is calling for the repeal of a "broken system" that it says has stalled negotiations weeks before teacher contracts expire. OSSTF president Martha Hradowy told local union leaders in downtown Toronto on Wednesday that "the system itself is the problem."

Hradowy said members are dealing with job loss, growing workload, larger class sizes and staffing shortages, but those conversations are stuck on procedural fights over which table — central or local — is permitted to discuss them. "Workers should not have to fight for the right to bargain before they can actually bargain," she said, adding that what happens in Kenora cannot be equally applied to large urban boards like Toronto or Peel.

Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra confirmed talks are in the first stage of determining which issues will be negotiated at central or local tables, and said the province respects the unions' decision to bring the matter to the Ontario Labour Relations Board. The collective agreements for all of Ontario's teachers' and education workers' unions expire on Aug. 31, and the unions have said job action isn't off the table amid the impasse.

9. Carney to brief cabinet, premiers on trade deal with the U.S.

Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to chair a virtual cabinet meeting Wednesday and then hold a virtual meeting with premiers to discuss the trade deal reached with the United States on Tuesday. U.S. President Donald Trump paused for three days the latest tariff threat on $28 billion worth of Canadian goods pending the finalization of the deal.

Carney said the draft agreement "reinforces that Canadian advantage, including by securing the best terms in each of Canada's most important strategic sectors and providing greater certainty about our future trading relationship." Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer continued meetings in Washington to finalize the text. Greer said he's "happy with where we ended up," adding the deal will strengthen the North American economy.

According to a White House proclamation, Canada agreed to work toward resolving trade irritants including dairy supply management, retaliatory tariff-free auto quotas and provincial bans on American alcohol. The new tariff deadline if documents aren't finalized is 12:01 a.m. ET Saturday. Trump has pointed to a revival of the Keystone XL pipeline as part of the deal, while LeBlanc said supply management has been upheld.

10. Manitoba man apologizes over cross-border kidnapping claim

A Manitoba man accused of falsely reporting his own kidnapping across the Canada-U.S. border apologized in court Tuesday as a judge set his bail. "I'm sorry for what I said and what I did," Roderick Garson, 37, told Judge Michelle Clark of Minnesota's Seventh Judicial District.

The case stems from an Aug. 15 report by North Dakota State Patrol of a possible abduction that began in Manitoba and crossed into North Dakota. Garson ran to a nearby store that day, telling them he had escaped a captor who brought him across the border. The report triggered a multi-agency response involving the Winnipeg Police Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the FBI and local authorities. A 31-year-old man was initially taken into custody, but police later said the two men knew each other.

Garson is now charged with falsely reporting a crime. The judge set bail at US$2,000 unconditional, or US$1,500 cash or bond with conditions, and appointed him a public defender. A not-guilty plea was entered on his behalf, and his next court appearance is set for Sept. 9 in Alexandria, Minn. The charge has not been proven in court.