Maple Express | September 29, 2026 — One dead after cement truck rolls over on Hwy. 401 in Scarborough

1. One dead after cement truck rolls over on Hwy. 401 in Scarborough

Source: CP24

One person has died following a truck crash on Highway 401 in Toronto on Tuesday morning, with the collision bringing traffic to a halt on a busy ramp.

Ontario Provincial Police say the crash happened at about 9:20 a.m. on the ramp from northbound Kennedy Road to eastbound Highway 401. Officers arrived to find a cement truck had rolled over on the ramp. The driver, a 57-year-old Scarborough man, was taken to hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The ramp remains closed while police investigate. The OPP are asking anyone who witnessed the collision, or who has dashcam footage from the area at the time, to contact police.

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2. Two charged with first-degree murder in Vaughan after deadly 2025 shooting

Source: CP24

York Regional Police announced Tuesday that two people have been charged with first-degree murder more than a year after a man was killed in a targeted shooting in Vaughan.

On Aug. 27, 2025, police were called to a commercial property near Langstaff Road and Jane Street for reports of an injured person. Officers located the victim inside one of the units with "obvious signs of trauma to his body." He has since been identified as Deuvane Donald Francis, 41, of Toronto. He was pronounced dead at the scene, and police determined gunshot wounds to be the cause of death. Following what police described as a "lengthy investigation," investigators identified two suspects, who were arrested on Sept. 22 and Sept. 23, 2026.

Daniel Fearon, 40, of Toronto, and Sherrie Donovan, 41, of Toronto, have both been charged with one count of first-degree murder. While executing a search warrant at a residence in the Niagara Region, investigators seized nine firearms, ammunition, 900 grams of cocaine, more than 200 grams of ketamine and more than 20 grams of methamphetamine. Police say they are still searching for two additional suspects, and anyone with information is being asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.

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3. Ontario child-care deal extended to 2031 with nearly $12B in federal funding

Source: CBC

Ontario and the federal government have agreed to extend the national affordable child-care program in the province for another four years, but it comes with no promises of further lowering the fees parents pay. The province is one of only two, including Alberta, that had not reached longer-term deals beyond the program's initial five years.

Federal Jobs and Families Minister Patty Hajdu and Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra announced Tuesday that the four-year extension will bring nearly $12 billion in federal funding to Ontario. Ontario's fees are an average of $19 a day, capped at $22, and the new agreement commits the province to maintain fees at that level until June 30, 2027. Hajdu said parents are still saving about $9,000 per child even at an average of $19. Calandra said the new money addresses Ontario's fiscal hole, at least in the short term.

Ontario was supposed to have created 86,000 affordable spaces by this year, but has so far fallen short at just shy of 60,000. Calandra said the province is now aiming to meet that target by March 31. Ontario has raised the minimum pay for early childhood educators by $1 per hour each year, and the current wage floor is $25.86. Advocates have called for much higher wages, as well as a wage grid, pensions and benefits.

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4. Toronto woman says Meta won't let her talk to a human after killing her accounts

Source: CP24

A Toronto woman says Meta permanently shut down her Facebook and Instagram accounts without warning — and her only recourse has been to talk to AI chatbots.

Jasmine Ault told The Canadian Press she has not been able to reach a human being at Meta since the accounts were deleted on Sept. 24. She said the company shut down her 20-year-old Facebook account, an Instagram account that dates back to 2011, and another Instagram account dedicated to her dog. She described the experience as isolating, saying the trust people put in social media platforms can all be taken away in one day, along with all of their memories.

Markus Giesler, a professor of marketing at York University, said social media platforms have become very important to people's personal lives and careers, and suspending an account can have personal financial consequences. He said it is often treated as a customer service case when in actuality it is a case of platform accountability. The Canadian Press says it has reached out to a Meta spokesperson but has not yet heard back.

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5. Rush frontman Geddy Lee endorses Brad Bradford in Toronto mayoral race

Source: CP24

Rush frontman Geddy Lee is openly endorsing city councillor Brad Bradford in Toronto's mayoral race.

Lee posted a series of photos of himself holding a small dog alongside Bradford, with a caption explaining his support. He said that while he has always been proud to call Toronto home, the city is "changing, and not for the better." He added that he truly fears for the future of Toronto "under its current leadership," and believes Bradford has "energy, fresh ideas and really cares" about all the city's communities.

Bradford looks to dethrone Toronto mayor Olivia Chow in the upcoming election on Oct. 26. Among his campaign promises are to cut Torontonians' water bills by 25 per cent and hire 1,000 new police officers. Lee's post was met with mixed reactions. In a longer statement shared on Bradford's website, Lee said that while touring the world over the last 50 years he always felt relief when returning home, but that this has changed, adding that his parents, both Holocaust survivors, came to Toronto to give their children a safe place to raise them.

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6. Two accused of defrauding $650K from Ajax Soccer Club

Source: CP24

Durham Regional Police say a man and a woman have been arrested and charged with fraud after police allege more than $650,000 was transferred out of the accounts of a soccer club in Ajax.

Police say officers began investigating in December 2024 after receiving reports of "irregularities" in banking transactions involving Ajax Soccer Club. A review of financial statements over several years found that more than $650,000 in club funds was transferred to various accounts between early 2023 and 2024. Police say both accused were employed by the club as the executive director and the general manager.

Vicki Scott, 50, of Whitby, and Richard Karikari, 47, of Ajax, have both been charged with fraud over $5,000 and possession of proceeds of crime and breach of trust. The allegations have not been proven in court. Both were released on an undertaking.

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7. Frozen raspberry products sold at Summerhill Market recalled over possible norovirus contamination

Source: CP24

Select frozen raspberry products sold at an upscale Toronto grocery chain are being recalled due to possible norovirus contamination.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says the recall impacts some Summerhill Market-branded frozen raspberry products, including a raspberry protein powder, frozen raspberries, a frozen berry mix and a frozen smoothie mix. They were sold at Summerhill Market locations including 446 Summerhill Ave., 3609 Dundas St. W., 484 Eglinton Ave. W., 1054 Mount Pleasant Rd., 1014 Bathurst St., and 32 Wellington St. W., Aurora, Ont. The products were sold between July 29 and Sept. 15, 2026.

The CFIA says the recall was triggered by another investigation into a foodborne illness outbreak. The agency advises people to avoid consuming the product and notes that recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the location where they were purchased. There have been no reported illnesses associated with the affected Summerhill Market products, the CFIA confirmed. Symptoms of norovirus illness include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach cramps, and usually develop within 24 to 48 hours, but can start as early as 12 hours after exposure.

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8. Stelco to idle Hamilton plant, laying off up to 500 workers amid U.S. tariffs

Source: CBC

Stelco Holdings Inc. said on Monday that it plans to idle part of its Hamilton plant in order to "ensure the survival" of the company, as U.S. tariffs squeeze its sales. The decision will impact up to 500 employees.

In a memo obtained by CBC News on Monday, the company said it will indefinitely idle its cold-rolled and coated operations at its Hamilton Works plant, with operations set to begin winding down on Oct. 9. Ron Wells, president of United Steelworkers Local 1005, estimates 350 steelworkers will be laid off. He said he was briefed in a meeting with the company on Monday morning, and that Christmas is not far away with no idea of the duration of the layoffs.

Stelco vice-president of sales Frederic Fafard stated in the memo that this is "an unfortunate but necessary action to help ensure the survival of Stelco" in what has become a challenging and unsustainable market caused by ongoing trade disruptions impacting the Canadian steel industry. U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in June applying up to 50 per cent tariffs to certain steel and aluminum imports from Canada. Industry Minister Mélanie Joly slammed the decision to lay off workers, saying Ottawa had offered to help Stelco weather the impact of U.S. tariffs and that its decision to reject these proposals was extremely disappointing.

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9. Canada can do more to prosecute sophisticated money laundering cases: watchdog report

Source: CP24

Canada is making strides in the fight against criminal efforts to disguise illicit cash but can do more to investigate and prosecute complex money laundering cases, says a new international watchdog report.

The independent, peer review assessment by the Financial Action Task Force and the Asia-Pacific Group on Money Laundering says Canada has developed "a mature and nuanced understanding" of money laundering and terrorist financing threats and vulnerabilities. It also applauds Canada's strong co-ordination across government and its ability to use financial intelligence to support criminal investigations and international efforts. But the report calls on Canada to improve its supervision of non-financial sectors, including dealers in precious metals and stones and real estate.

Organized criminal groups involved in drug trafficking are known to invest in real estate to launder their proceeds of crime, meaning real estate brokers, sales representatives and developers can be exposed to high-risk clients, the report says. It also notes that while lawyers are subject to professional rules and oversight by law societies, they remain outside Canada's proceeds of crime and terrorist financing legislative framework. Financial Action Task Force president Giles Thomson said that as a major global economy, Canada has a strong understanding of the illicit finance risks it is facing, and has taken significant steps to strengthen corporate transparency and the use of financial intelligence since its last mutual evaluation.

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10. Toronto police bust gun trafficking network, seize 15 firearms and gold bar

Source: CP24

Toronto police say three suspects are in custody after investigators infiltrated a gun trafficking network through an undercover operation.

Insp. Steve Matthews, of the Integrated Gun and Gang Task Force, said the months-long investigation, dubbed Project Playfight, began in February 2026 after officers received information about a person trafficking firearms through an online platform. Members of the Firearms Enforcement Unit launched an undercover operation and began communicating online with the individual, and were introduced to additional individuals involved in the sale of firearms and provided with a list of firearms available for purchase.

Matthews said officers subsequently uncovered a group that was allegedly supplying firearms "outside lawful channels," and that the firearms were traced back to domestic sources, specifically an individual who was registered to possess firearms and was acting as the supplier. Police believe one suspect acted as the supplier while the other two took on the role of seller. On July 29, investigators, with the assistance of the Emergency Task Force and other specialized units, executed a series of search warrants in Toronto and Markham, recovering 15 firearms, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, a device capable of converting a handgun into a fully automatic weapon, $7,000 in Canadian currency, and one 2.5g gold bar.

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