Maple Express | September 1, 2026 PM Carney sweeps three byelections to hold onto majority

1. PM Carney sweeps three federal byelections, holds onto majority

Source: CP24

Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberals swept all three federal byelections held Monday night, picking up a Quebec seat from Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives and holding onto two Liberal strongholds in Ontario and British Columbia to solidify their majority government.

The night's biggest win came in Chicoutimi–Le Fjord, Que., where Liberal candidate Daniel Gobeil, a local farmer, took 51.3 per cent of the vote. Bloc Québécois candidate Caroline Dubé placed second with 32.9 per cent, while the Conservative candidate earned roughly 13 per cent.

Entering Monday, the governing Liberals held 170 seats; the three victories lift them to 173, one more than needed for a majority. The results come amid an escalating Canada-U.S. trade war, with CTV News commentators noting U.S. President Donald Trump's recent actions drove the vote. MPs return to the House of Commons for the fall sitting on Sept. 21.

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2. Liberal Tanveer Shahnawaz wins Beaches-East York byelection

Source: CP24

The Liberals easily held east Toronto's Beaches-East York riding in Monday's federal byelection, with Tanveer Shahnawaz taking a strong early lead.

With 191 of 200 polls reporting (95.5 per cent), Shahnawaz earned 14,837 votes, just under 55 per cent. NDP candidate Shannon Devine placed second with 25.9 per cent, and Conservative Jim Syrbos was third with 16.3 per cent.

Shahnawaz, the long-time constituency office manager for departing MP and former cabinet minister Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, called representing the only home he has ever known the honour of a lifetime. Born at the former East General Hospital to parents who immigrated from Bangladesh, he said he is ready to hit the ground running.

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3. Toronto police seek two suspects in Etobicoke arson

Source: CP24

Toronto police are working to identify two suspects wanted in connection with an alleged arson at an Etobicoke clothing store earlier this month.

The fire happened in the early morning of Aug. 3 in the Mimico-Queensway area, near Lake Shore Boulevard West and Albert Avenue, east of Royal York Road. Video appears to show one suspect smashing the store's windows while a second pours an accelerant inside; police say the accelerant was then lit, setting the store ablaze.

The pair fled in a silver/grey metallic Honda Civic sedan, believed to be a 2022–2026 model. Both suspects are described as having a medium build and wearing dark clothing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Toronto police or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

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4. Man seriously hurt in North York crash

Source: CP24

A man was taken to hospital with serious injuries following a crash in North York on Monday night.

The collision occurred in the Willowdale neighbourhood, near Bathurst Street and Ellerslie Avenue, just south of Finch Avenue West. Toronto police said they were called to the area just after 8 p.m. for a two-vehicle collision in which one vehicle rolled over.

Paramedics transported one patient with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Northbound Bathurst Street is closed at Ellerslie Avenue, and drivers are being asked to expect delays and use alternate routes.

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5. Man charged after allegedly photographing girl in Toronto Beach washroom

Source: CP24

A 36-year-old Toronto man has been charged after police say he photographed an 11-year-old girl inside a washroom in the city's east end.

The incident occurred on Aug. 25 at Kew Gardens Park, near Queen Street East and Lee Avenue. Police say the suspect was already inside the washroom when the girl entered a stall, and allegedly took photos through gaps in the stall. She sought help and the suspect fled.

On Monday, police arrested Hans Martins-Gonzalez, 36, of Toronto, charging him with secretly observing or recording a person who is expecting privacy. The allegations have not been tested in court. He is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday morning.

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6. Jane Street in Vaughan nearly fully reopened after vehicle fire

Source: CP24

A stretch of Jane Street in Vaughan is almost fully reopened after being shut down in both directions following a vehicle fire late Monday afternoon.

Two southbound lanes at Avro Road remain closed. The incident happened between Norwood Avenue and Avro Road.

York Regional Police said they were called to the area at 5:30 p.m. for a vehicle fire, and fire crews also attended. Police have asked drivers to avoid the area and expect delays.

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7. Demand surges for Canadian-made food and household goods, but retailers lag

Source: CP24

Canadian food and household goods companies say demand is surging as consumers prioritize buying local amid the ongoing trade dispute.

Kathleen Chapman, president of Bowmanville, Ont. parchment paper supplier aVenco Ltd., says her company has been slammed by U.S. tariffs. Nearly 40 per cent of its customers were in the U.S., and the company now faces an extra 50 per cent tariff because its product is prepared and converted in Canada.

But she says Canadians have reached out to order directly, sending direct-to-consumer orders from about 20 over the past two years to hundreds in the week since the new U.S. tariffs took effect. Chapman says consumers are moving faster than retailers, with many stores slow to give Canadian items more shelf space.

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8. On-duty OPP officer pleads guilty to drunk driving, fined $3,000

Source: CP24

A veteran Ontario Provincial Police officer charged with drunk driving on the job earlier this year in Midland, Ont., has taken a plea deal.

Christopher Prout, suspended with pay since January, pleaded guilty to driving with more than three times the legal limit of alcohol in his system while on duty in a police cruiser with a gun on his hip. Court heard he had been drinking at home before driving to work for a performance review, where officers smelled alcohol on him. His breath samples read nearly 260 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood.

Prout, 40, has served in Midland for 17 years and was diagnosed with PTSD and substance-use disorder, his lawyer said. The judge handed him a $3,000 fine, a two-year driving ban and two years of probation.

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9. School boards across Canada cancel, tweak field trips

Source: CP24

Thousands of students across Canada have had their school trip plans cancelled or adjusted this year for reasons including global conflict and uncertainty.

Edmonton Public Schools has cancelled all international excursions for the school year, including trips to Thailand, France, the U.K., Costa Rica and Portugal. Superintendent Rob Thompson cited a recent trip where students faced civil unrest, plus reported fuel shortages, public health concerns and ongoing military conflict.

The Vancouver School Board and Calgary Catholic School District are approving trips on a case-by-case basis, while public boards in Toronto and Saskatoon say none of their trips have been cancelled. Experts note international trips have grown far more complex in recent years.

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10. Should you buy tariff-affected products before prices go up?

Source: CP24

With Canada's retaliatory tariffs on the U.S. set to take effect next week, many consumers are anxious about the impact of the surtaxes.

Ian Lee, an associate professor at Carleton University's Sprott School of Business, says those planning to buy American items anyway should probably do so before Sept. 8. Trade talks broke down Aug. 21, and Ottawa's counter-tariffs, set at 15, 25 and 50 per cent on about 700 American imports worth $27.6 billion, take effect Sept. 8.

McMaster University economist Colin Mang says consumers with favourite targeted brands, such as cosmetics, clothing and handbags, may want to stock up, but there is little reason to hoard common goods like toilet paper with many substitutes. He cited a Bank of Canada study showing tariffed items rose only about six per cent on average.

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