Maple Express | September 26, 2026 — Brampton Man Speaks Out After 78-Year-Old Mother Robbed of $20K in Jewelry

1. Brampton man speaks out after 78-year-old mother robbed of roughly $20K in jewelry on evening walk

Source: CP24

A Brampton man is speaking out after he says thieves stole about $20,000 worth of jewelry from his 78-year-old mother while she was out for an evening walk in her neighborhood on July 28. The case remains under investigation.

Raghavendra Kumar said the theft happened just before 6 p.m. on a residential street near Chinguacousy Road and Bovaird Drive West. Surveillance video appears to show an SUV stopping beside the elderly woman as she walked on a sidewalk; a woman got out, bent down to touch her feet and hugged her to gain her trust. "For about 10 seconds, she was completely believing and trusting of that female," Kumar said. He said the woman then placed a fake piece of jewelry around his mother's neck while removing her real gold necklace, and the suspects also allegedly took her gold bangles before leaving in the SUV. Peel police say they have identified a white Chevrolet Equinox as a vehicle of interest, and that the woman in the video is considered a "person of interest" in the ongoing investigation.

Kumar estimates about 110 grams of jewelry worth roughly $20,000 in raw metal value was stolen, but he said the jewelry carried far more than monetary value: it was a gift from his father when his parents married in 1971, and his father, a goldsmith, made it. His father passed away around 2008. Kumar said his mother was "shivering" and "couldn't walk" when she realized what had happened, and could not speak for about 30 minutes; she is also a heart patient. She has since stopped taking her usual walks and now only walks in the backyard. Police have not provided a description of suspects they are looking for, and are asking anyone with information to contact 22 Division CIB investigators at 905-453-2121 ext. 2233.

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2. VIA Rail reverses decision, will keep service at Guildwood Station

Source: CP24

Following backlash from residents and local leaders, VIA Rail has reversed its decision to stop servicing its only Scarborough stop. In a statement on its website, VIA said it will serve Guildwood Station when it transitions to its winter schedule starting Oct. 25.

"VIA Rail recognizes the importance of reliable rail transportation that connects communities and serves passengers across Canada, including in the Scarborough community," the operator said, adding that it will remain in touch with community leaders to discuss the situation and assess feedback. Earlier this month, VIA announced service changes in the Quebec City-Windsor corridor, including cancelling its early morning train from Ottawa to Toronto starting Oct. 25, and said it would stop serving Guildwood and Malton stations "to improve overall travel times, given their proximity to Toronto Union Station and easy access to GO Transit and other local transit services."

Scarborough residents and officials criticized the announcement. Coun. Paul Ainslie called on VIA Rail to reverse its plan, saying in a statement on Sept. 16 that removing service would "make travel less convenient, increase travel times, and reduce transportation options for thousands of residents." Liberal MPs representing Scarborough ridings sent out a news release calling on VIA to restore full service at Guildwood, saying that while they intervened to restore partial service, "this is not good enough," and that the decision was "disconnected from reality" given that VIA's data show nearly 60,000 passengers departed and arrived at the station last year. During her campaign rally in Scarborough on Saturday, Olivia Chow welcomed VIA's reversal. "We'll keep fighting to make sure they don't even try it again," Chow said.

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3. Ontario transparency watchdog warns government is dodging its orders

Source: CP24

Ontario's transparency watchdog is warning that the government is dodging its orders more frequently, including orders that would shed light on how a multi-billion dollar government fund pushed grants to supporters, including one to an adult entertainment club.

The Information and Privacy Commissioner said it is powerless to stop the evasion of its legal orders because, unlike in other provinces, it is unable to take those government agencies to court. "Recently and very unfortunately, our office has been seeing an increase of institutions' non-compliance with our orders compared to historic trends," a spokesperson told CTV News. In one example, Ontario's Ministry of Labour was ordered to respond by Aug. 21 to nine freedom of information requests from CTV News relating to the operation of the Skills Development Fund, initially filed in September 2025; the ministry has not responded. That is the same fund where recent reporting revealed troubling spending: the province sent over $100 million to clients of a lobbyist who managed Doug Ford's campaign, millions to a company connected to the Ford family's dentist, and $10 million to train workers at an adult entertainment club. The auditor general found the fund's administration "not fair, transparent, or accountable."

New labour minister Trevor Jones said the government had implemented recommendations from the auditor general and planned to keep spending on skills development. "We're going to make sure we invest appropriately and that every dollar is accounted for. Every taxpayer dollar is respected," Jones said. Asked about the evaded orders, the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery sent an unsigned statement saying "the government will continue to comply with our obligations under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act." James Turk, director of the Centre for Free Expression at Toronto Metropolitan University, rejected that: "How can they say they're complying with the law? It's preposterous," he said, calling it "a really boldly anti-democratic move" because democracy depends on voters being able to hold government accountable, which requires access to information.

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4. Brad Bradford questions Olivia Chow's $788M savings claim

Source: CP24

Toronto mayoral candidate Brad Bradford is challenging Olivia Chow's claim that her administration found $788 million in budget savings, arguing that only $135 million represents actual spending reductions.

"Every family in Toronto knows what a saving is. It's when you spend less than you did before," said Bradford, pointing to the city's operating budget growing from $16.16 billion in 2023, when Chow took office, to $18.9 billion in 2026. "Olivia Chow spent $2.7 billion more, raised your fees, took more money from other governments, put off bills until after the election, and called it $788 million in savings. That's not finding money. That's hiding where it went."

Bradford noted that the city's own budget documents show $135 million in reductions, including $57 million in efficiencies and $78 million from internal line-by-line reviews, with the remaining $653 million coming from measures such as hiring slowdowns, cost deferrals and revenue adjustments. He rehashed his pledge for an independent line-by-line review, and pointed to property tax increases since Chow took office: 9.5 per cent in 2024, 6.9 per cent in 2025 and 2.2 per cent in 2026, with his campaign saying the 2026 increase was only kept lower through the use of $1.7 billion from city reserves. He reiterated his pledge to freeze property taxes in his first year as mayor until that review is completed; Chow has pledged to keep property taxes "at or around" the rate of inflation if re-elected. "I'm a city planner by training. When something isn't working, you open it up and look under the hood," Bradford said. "You don't put a new label on the old problem." Chow held a rally in Scarborough on Saturday; Torontonians head to the polls on Oct. 26.

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5. Motorcyclist seriously injured in Toronto crash

Source: CP24

A motorcyclist has been seriously injured in a crash in the city's Keelesdale area, Toronto police say.

Emergency crews were called shortly after 12:30 p.m. for a collision between a motorcycle and another vehicle in the area of Eglinton Avenue West and Keele Street. Police say the motorcyclist, a woman in her 20s, was transported to the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The cause of the collision is unknown.

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6. Injuries derail Toronto Tempo's first WNBA season but players stay upbeat

Source: CP24

Injuries and losses piled up in the second half of the Toronto Tempo's first season in the WNBA, but the players felt fortunate to be part of the team's debut and feel the fans' support.

The players and head coach Sandy Brondello reflected on the team's first season Saturday after concluding an 11-33 campaign with a loss to the Connecticut Sun two days earlier. "The thing that you will never forget is that you were part of this first season, this first team for Canada," Tempo point guard Julie Allemand said. "It's a special thing."

After opening with a promising 7-5 start, standout guard Brittney Sykes went down with a left foot injury. Satou Sabally (soft tissue) then missed significant time, as did first-round draft pick Kiki Rice (ankle), Marie Conde (back), Allemand (left ankle, headaches) and Marina Mabrey (hip, neck and right adductor). Toronto finished the season with eight straight losses and just a single win in its final 21 games. "Unfortunately, it's hard to win when your best players are not playing in this league," Brondello said. The two-time WNBA championship coach (Phoenix 2014, New York 2024) failed to guide a team into the playoffs for the first time in her career.

Brondello and general manager Monica Wright Rogers want to add defensive-minded talent through free agency and April's draft; the Tempo surrendered a league-worst 94.4 points per game. The lottery for the 2027 draft is in November, with six-foot-two USC guard JuJu Watkins projected to be the first overall selection. "The amount of diversity was refreshing," centre Isabelle Harrison said. The Tempo's home court was the 8,200-seat Coca-Cola Coliseum on the Canadian National Exhibition grounds; the team also played two home games at Scotiabank Arena, plus two games in Montreal and two in Vancouver.

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7. Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer delays retirement decision until the off-season

Source: CP24

Max Scherzer wasn't ready to call it quits just yet. The 42-year-old told media Saturday that he will wait until the off-season to decide if he'll retire or play another season of Major League Baseball, and he will start on short rest for the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday against the Cincinnati Reds.

"I've gone through ups and downs through the season. I get it, but I've gotten to this point where I'm pretty healthy," said Scherzer, sitting in the Blue Jays' dugout at Rogers Centre. "I've talked to everybody in my inner circle, and we all kind of feel the same way. We don't need to make a decision today. Get to the off-season and just see how things unfold." He noted he's never had a serious injury over his Hall of Fame-calibre career, just nagging hurts and pains. He was on Toronto's 15-day injured list from April 27 to June 10 with right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation, and after one start went back on the IL on June 14 with back spasms.

Scherzer said that now he's healthy and in mid-season form, he feels like he could pitch another season, but there is uncertainty around the likely labour disruption of either a lockout or strike when the collective agreement between MLB and the players' union expires this winter. He has won three Cy Young Awards and two World Series titles over his 19-year career, amassing a 224-126 record with a 3.29 earned-run average over 500 games; his 3,550 strikeouts rank ninth on the all-time MLB list, four behind Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers. Verlander made the final start of his career Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, and Scherzer said he had texted him. Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Scherzer was "a joy to manage," calling it "really cool, really exhausting at times, really funny at times." Brandon Williamson (5-4) will start for the Reds against Scherzer (3-9) in Sunday's matinee at Rogers Centre.

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8. The Lion King tour is 'reconfiguring.' What does that mean for Canadian theatre?

Source: CP24

Broadway touring productions could soon look different, according to one critic, after the announcement that a popular musical will be closing temporarily.

Earlier this month, it was announced that The Lion King would be closing down until August 2027 in order to reconfigure. According to a social media post by Broadway.Media, the move is being made in order to "reimagine elements... while maintaining the scale and emotional power." Toronto Star arts and culture critic Joshua Chong told CTV Your Morning earlier this week that the announcement was a shock to the theatre community, since the show had been crisscrossing North America to sold-out audiences for years. He said the statement from Disney's producers about reconfiguring was "really vague" and "suggests that this show and this touring production is going to be scaled down."

Chong speculated that reconfiguring could result in smaller sets, a smaller orchestra and cast, and scaled back automations, which are the show's signature feature. The production started in 1997 and launched its tour in 2002, and is considered one of the most successful in theatre history. Chong said if The Lion King can't survive on tour, it could be reflected in fewer Broadway tours in the future, forcing audiences to go to New York or the West End. He said Broadway is struggling with production expenses, thanks to the price of lumber for sets and the cost of fuel to transport productions between cities. "The economics of Broadway are not working out right now," he said. "And a lot of productions are scaling down." However, he said some productions that are making money are scaling down to make even more, which could be good news for smaller markets with smaller theatres such as Kitchener-Waterloo, Halifax and Regina that don't get Broadway tours.

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9. Ireland players vote to go ahead with games against Israel, will wear black armbands

Source: CP24

Pressure to boycott upcoming Nations League games against Israel over that country's actions in Gaza took its toll on the Ireland team Saturday when players talked for hours, voted on their participation, and one departed the squad.

Ireland is due to play Israel in Debrecen, Hungary in the first of those games Sunday, but the team's press conference and training session Saturday were delayed by more than five hours as the players held discussions among themselves over whether they should play. "A player expressed their discomfort with fulfilling this fixture to the head coach and indicated their intent to withdraw from the squad," David Courell, CEO of the Football Association of Ireland, told journalists. He said a vote was taken and that "a significant majority" were in favour of continuing, and that the association decided the fixture would continue as intended.

Courell said the players were uncomfortable dealing with questions "that are not about football," so they requested not to have to deal with media obligations around Sunday's match, and that they intend to wear black armbands "in recognition of all lives lost in the conflict," with elements of the pre-match ceremony not taken part in. Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu reportedly told the team Friday night he did not want to play; coach Heimir Hallgrimsson said a player was leaving the squad and that the game is going ahead. Ireland's national broadcaster RTÉ said last week it will only provide stripped-back coverage of the games against Israel and will not accept advertising or sponsorship around either game, and that Ireland will boycott the Eurovision Song Contest for a second year over Israel's participation. Ireland's "home" game has been moved to Backa Topola, Serbia on Oct. 4.

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10. Hurricane Nolo expected to unleash powerful winds, flash flooding on Hawaii

Source: CP24

Heavy rain and powerful winds are expected to bring flash floods and extreme surf to the Hawaiian Islands over the weekend as Hurricane Nolo bears down on areas still recovering from previous storms.

Nolo was churning slowly south of Hawaii's Big Island on Saturday with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (165 kph). The storm's centre was about 145 miles (235 kilometres) south of Hawaii's southernmost point and could strengthen into a potentially life-threatening and catastrophic storm through the weekend. Forecasters warned of possible flooding and mudslides, with parts of the Big Island expected to see rainfall totals up to 20 inches (51 centimetres). "Don't venture out if you don't have to into the dangerous flooding environment, but also high winds. We can have trees and power lines down," Michael Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center, said Friday.

The humanitarian nonprofit CORE and other partners spent the week packing and shipping supplies by air cargo from Oahu to the Big Island for a community relief hub active since August's Hurricane Lala. Residents are still recovering from Lala, which produced winds strong enough to sweep around 100 homes off their foundations on the Big Island. U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday approved an emergency declaration for Hawaii, authorizing FEMA to coordinate assistance and provide funding support; officials told residents to put together emergency kits, and the governor issued an emergency proclamation, activating hundreds of National Guard members. Meanwhile, Mexico is under the threat of Hurricane Polo as it heads toward the Baja California peninsula after bringing storm conditions to the southwestern coast, with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph (249 kph) Saturday; it is expected to gradually weaken before making landfall Monday near communities such as San Juanico.

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