Maple Express | August 26, 2026 | Automakers thought Canada was getting a trade deal. Then tariffs doubled.

Source: CP24

1. Automakers thought Canada was getting a trade deal. Then tariffs doubled.

Just last week, automakers were hoping summer U.S.-Canada trade talks would bring relief from Washington's 25 per cent tariffs on vehicles and parts shipped across the border. Instead, on Monday U.S. President Donald Trump declared a 50 per cent levy on vehicles, auto parts and trucks from Canada, effective Jan. 1, doubling the industry's problem.

The trade deal that fell apart would have cut the top-line tariff on Canadian cars and light-duty trucks from 25 per cent to 15 per cent. Canadian-built vehicles accounted for only about 6 per cent of U.S. sales in 2025, according to Barclays. If tariffs double, automakers including Ford, General Motors, Stellantis, Toyota and Honda would face significant added costs on key models.

About 17 per cent of GM's Chevrolet Silverado pickup production is in Canada, and Stellantis's Chrysler Pacifica is built solely in Canada. Toyota and Honda are most exposed, accounting for more than 75 per cent of the 1.2 million vehicles produced in the country in 2025. A senior Honda executive warned Tuesday the company might not build an eighth North American assembly plant unless the trade agreement is extended.

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2. Saskatchewan premier announces 50% tariff on American liquor

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe announced Wednesday his province will impose a 50 per cent reciprocal tax on alcohol from the United States, with the measures set to take effect Sept. 8. The action responds to U.S. tariffs imposed Aug. 22 that levied 50 per cent on Canadian alcohol.

Speaking to reporters in Prince Albert, Moe said the province is not considering pulling U.S. booze from shelves, choosing instead to leave the decision to consumers. He noted American liquor sales in Saskatchewan are already down 40 per cent, which he said sends a stronger message than any government-ordered ban.

Moe said the government supports selected counter tariffs but draws a line on export tariffs affecting potash and oil, warning they would cost Canadians jobs and investment immediately. Earlier, the Saskatchewan NDP had called on Moe to take American alcohol off store shelves in line with most other provinces.

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3. 24 Canadians missing after flash floods in Nepal, China. At least 98 dead

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday his government is closely following the situation in Nepal and China after 24 Canadians were reported missing in flash flooding in the region. Officials in Nepal said the 24 are among those missing Wednesday in a border area of Nepal and China.

At least 98 people are dead, and hundreds of tourists, workers and others remain unaccounted for. Carney urged all Canadians in the region to register through the Registration of Canadians Abroad service so the government can contact and assist them during an emergency.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said Global Affairs Canada consular officials are in contact with local authorities and ready to assist Canadians. The Nepali prime minister's office reported at least 95 dead, while China's state broadcaster said a mudslide near the border killed at least three and left 265 missing.

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4. Another sinkhole forms in East York, road closures in effect

A large sinkhole formed in East York on Wednesday morning. Toronto police said they received reports of the sinkhole in the area of Boultbee Avenue and Jones Avenue at 7:30 a.m.

Bill Shea, Toronto Water's director of distribution and collection, said a preliminary investigation determined the sinkhole was caused by a watermain break, and city crews are now identifying the repairs required. Jones Avenue is closed in both directions between Boultbee Avenue and Myrtle Avenue, with no timeline for reopening.

This is the second large sinkhole in East York in two days. On Tuesday, crews were called to the Parkview Hills neighbourhood after a vehicle became stuck in a sinkhole, also caused by a watermain break.

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5. The Toronto Zoo adds 'masked duo' to its Canadian Domain zone

The Toronto Zoo has welcomed two new raccoons to its Canadian Domain zone: River, a female, and Racer, a male. The zoo announced the additions on Tuesday.

Racer is aptly named — his keepers say he is food-motivated and quick to race toward a meal — while River tends to be more reserved. The pair came from Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in Muskoka, where they had lived since 2019 after being rescued from a roadside zoo; both are around eight years old.

River and Racer join resident raccoon Manny, whose former roommate Micro died last winter at age 14.5. The zoo hopes the new arrivals will provide companionship and social stimulation for Manny. The three were introduced about two weeks ago and are getting increasingly comfortable together.

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6. Teen jewelry store thief released after guilty plea in Christmas smash-and-grab

The second of five teens police believe robbed a Georgian Mall jewelry store last Christmas has pleaded guilty and been released from custody. The 16-year-old admitted to being one of five thieves who ransacked Charm Diamond Centres on the afternoon of Dec. 19, 2025, steps from where children were taking photos with Santa.

The youth, from the Brampton area and protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, had been in custody for eight months. He was credited with time served and released to his family with a suspended sentence. A 15-year-old from Toronto was released earlier this summer after accepting responsibility for the smash-and-grab.

Court heard the thieves used hammers and wore ski masks to smash display cases and load jewelry into backpacks. Justice Enno Meijers warned the teen he could face a harsher sentence if he breaches probation. He is banned from the Georgian Mall, and his co-accused return to a youth courtroom in Barrie next month.

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7. Three years after Anthony Dixon was shot and killed, police have finally made arrests

Durham police have arrested two people in connection with the shooting death of a 17-year-old boy in Pickering three years ago. Police provided the update in a news release Wednesday, more than two months after appealing for information on the third anniversary of Anthony Dixon's death.

The shooting happened on June 18, 2023, at a housing complex on Kingston Road. Officers located Dixon with life-threatening injuries, and the 17-year-old was pronounced dead shortly after. Investigators previously said shots were fired from a vehicle that later fled the area.

One suspect has been identified as 22-year-old Fawaz Sheikh of Ajax. The other, now 19 and from Pickering, cannot be named because he was a youth at the time of the shooting. Both have been charged with second-degree murder.

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8. Marineland beluga dies in Chicago as Canada's last captive dolphins leave the park

Canada's last captive dolphins left Marineland for a new home in Spain on Wednesday, while a beluga recently relocated from the park died at a Chicago aquarium. Trainers spent several hours Wednesday morning at the shuttered Niagara Falls park loading four dolphins and two belugas into transport trucks headed to Toronto Pearson airport.

The dolphins Echo, Lida, Marina and Tsunami, joined by belugas Cleopatra and Jelly Bean, are bound for Oceanografic Valencia. Meanwhile, staff were devastated by the death of Peekachu, a 23-year-old beluga shipped to the United States two weeks ago. Shedd Aquarium said she died suddenly Tuesday evening after blood work showed dehydration.

Shedd will perform a necropsy to better understand what happened. Six belugas remain at Marineland — the last captive whales in Canada — and are soon set to go to the United States. The largest collective move of captive whales and dolphins, 30 belugas and four dolphins, has been underway since mid-July as the park winds down.

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9. New child safety measures Meta pledged in U.S. settlement not coming to Canada

New child protection measures Meta promised as part of a massive U.S. legal settlement won't be implemented in Canada. A Meta spokesperson said the changes to Facebook and Instagram announced today are specific to the United States.

Meta reached a settlement worth up to US$18 billion, ending a landmark trial over teen social media addiction. The company agreed to safety features including two-hour daily time limits that can only be disabled with a parent's permission.

The measures also include eliminating push notifications during weekday school hours and stronger age assurance. In Canada, the federal government has proposed a digital safety bill that would force platforms to block access for kids under 16.

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10. Helicopter rescue for B.C. climber stung by wasps 100 times

A climber in British Columbia was rescued by helicopter after being stung more than 100 times by wasps in backcountry north of Vancouver. Lions Bay Search and Rescue said in a social media post Tuesday that the female climber was on Redoubt Wall near Loggers Creek when she encountered the insects.

A ground team was sent with emergency medical supplies in case of a serious systemic reaction, and rescuers requested a helicopter extraction by North Shore Rescue because the climber would not be able to hike out.

Rescuers were dropped in to help airlift the climber through heavy tree canopy, and she was transferred to BC Emergency Health Services for care. Lions Bay Search and Rescue reminded that wasp encounters can quickly become a serious backcountry medical emergency, especially with a large number of stings.

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