Maple Express | Nov 1, 2026: Four teens killed in Puslinch crash; Carney calls Dec. 7 by-elections

1. Four teens killed in crash near Guelph; OPP release identities

Ontario Provincial Police held a Sunday morning news conference to release the identities of the four young people killed in a crash in Puslinch, Ont. Police said a vehicle struck a guard rail along Watson Road South and crashed into the ravine below, just before a bend in the road between Maltby Road East and Wellington Road 34, at around 1:35 a.m. Saturday.

There were six occupants in the vehicle. OPP said four were pronounced dead at the scene: a 19-year-old man from Mississauga, a 19-year-old man from Brampton, a 17-year-old girl from Mississauga and a 15-year-old girl from Milton. Another 17-year-old girl remains in hospital with life-altering injuries, while a 15-year-old girl suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Insp. Karen Medeiros of Wellington County OPP called it an "unimaginable loss," saying four young people lost their lives in a matter of moments, families have been forever changed and an entire community is searching for answers. She said it is too early to determine what caused the collision, that investigators are assessing evidence including speed and seat belt use, and urged anyone in the area around 1:30 a.m. with security or dash cam video to call 1-888-310-1122.

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2. Woman killed in stabbing at North York parking lot

Toronto police said they were called shortly after 4 p.m. Saturday to a stabbing in the parking lot of an apartment building in the area of Bathurst Street and Finch Avenue West. Officers found an adult female with serious, life-threatening injuries; she was taken to hospital, where she later died. Police have not identified her.

Toronto paramedics told CP24 that a second person was assessed at the scene but was not taken to hospital. Police would not provide information about the suspect, saying only that officers were not looking for anyone. A police spokesperson said the victim and the suspect knew each other, but the extent of their relationship is unknown.

Police said the circumstances of the stabbing are not immediately known and that there was no threat to public safety. The homicide unit has taken carriage of the investigation.

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3. Carney calls by-elections in three provinces for Dec. 7

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Sunday that by-elections will be held in federal districts in Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan at the end of the year.

The votes are set for Dec. 7, 2026, in Brant South—Brantford and Scarborough North in Ontario; Sainte-Marie—Laurier, La Petite-Patrie—Rosemont and Bagot—Acton—Saint-Hyacinthe in Quebec; and Melville—Yorkton in Saskatchewan.

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4. Female driver dead after single-vehicle crash on Hwy. 401 in Courtice

Ontario Provincial Police said they were called at around 5:30 a.m. Sunday to the eastbound Highway 401 off-ramp to Courtice Road for what they described as a "serious" single-vehicle collision.

The driver, who was the vehicle's sole occupant, was taken to hospital where she was later pronounced dead. Police have not released her identity.

The eastbound off-ramp to Courtice Road remains closed for the investigation. OPP said the on-site investigation is ongoing and the ramp is expected to remain closed for a few more hours, advising motorists to avoid the area and use alternate routes.

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5. One in hospital after 2-alarm fire at North York home

Toronto Fire said crews responded just before 3 a.m. Sunday to reports of flames visible from a residence in the Newtonbrook neighbourhood, at 14 Bowerbank Dr., near Yonge Street and Cummer Avenue. Crews arrived to find a fully engulfed building and began a "fast attack."

The fire, which Toronto Fire Service said "went through the home," was quickly upgraded to a second alarm. A media officer told CP24 it took "quite some time" to put the fire out. Video from the scene showed a large fire at the rear of the home, with heavy flames and smoke coming from the roof.

Toronto Fire said one patient was transported to hospital with injuries paramedics described as minor. Police said the cause of the fire is unknown. Crews remain on scene for fire watch, and Toronto Fire is investigating.

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6. Family of Whitby man missing on Quebec ski trip turns to digital clues

MONTREAL — The family of an Ontario man missing in Mont-Tremblant, Que., for 21 months is making a deeper technological dive for clues. Chris Toman said metadata linked to his son Liam's phone the night the 22-year-old disappeared from the Laurentian ski resort might offer fresh information on his whereabouts.

Chris said the family has been mining that data with a digital forensic expert in conjunction with the Sûreté du Québec. Cell tower pings, router data and other signal metrics could help narrow the search area within the sprawling mountain resort or beyond. He said the family has requested production orders through the SQ to retain data from some third-party apps.

The renewed digital effort comes alongside another ground search over the weekend by volunteer teams and trained search-and-rescue dog units. Liam vanished at around 3 a.m. on Feb. 2, 2025, after leaving a bar in the ski village following a night of dinner and drinks with friends. He was last seen on camera walking back toward his hotel, with no footage of him heading inside; a last call and text were sent from his phone at around 3:15 a.m., with no activity on his bank account, social media or phone since.

Provincial police have searched by land, helicopter and in nearby bodies of water. After his wallet was found in a nearby parking lot seven weeks later, police dispatched more helicopters, dogs, ATVs and searchers on horseback while volunteer groups combed the surrounding hills. Authorities have not ruled out criminal activity. The family has also launched a blue wristband campaign, and a $50,000 reward remains in place for information leading to his location.

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7. Thousands pack Toronto's Gay Village for Halloween on Church

Thousands of people packed Toronto's Gay Village for the annual Halloween on Church event. Organizers billed it as "an inclusive, family-friendly, safe queer space where everyone is encouraged to celebrate and express uniqueness and self-expression." The festivities took place on Friday and Saturday nights.

Toronto police told CP24 they attended the area on Oct. 31 for "concerns of overcrowding and overall crowd control." No arrests have been reported. Police said it is unclear exactly how many people attended; they had previously said more than 80,000 people could attend the block party on Halloween night.

Church Street from Gloucester Street to Alexander streets, and Wellesley Street East near Church Street, were closed on Oct. 31 but have since reopened. Videos posted on social media show throngs of Halloween revellers on Church Street. CP24 has reached out to event organizer the Church Wellesley Village Business Improvement Area for comment.

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8. White House slammed for inflammatory social media posts

Only days before the midterm elections, the Trump administration's online accounts are circulating images of a pumpkin carved with a sombrero design and a fake Halloween-themed background around a Black man apparently accused of food assistance fraud — posts critics slammed as inflammatory rhetoric.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins posted Saturday on X a photo of the Black man standing in front of stacks of what appear to be U.S. currency with the headline "SNAP FRAUDSTER," an apparent reference to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. He is holding aloft what appears to be a bill set aflame. "Some costumes come with a price tag. This one comes with a prison sentence," it says, against the backdrop of fake Spirit Halloween costume packaging.

Another photo posted by the White House on X on Thursday showed a pumpkin with the shape of a sombrero carved across it and the words "Spooky szn is here." The post by Rollins appears to be taken from an Instagram post from September 2025 by an account under the name Shawty Dred. Earlier this month, Mercedes Reshard New, identified by the Justice Department as a social media personality also known as "Shawty Dred," was arrested on federal charges for fraudulently obtaining more than $4 million in SNAP benefits in Georgia.

It is not the first time the White House has been accused of posting inflammatory images on official government social media accounts. Just over a year ago during the government shutdown, the White House revived a deepfake video posted by Trump of House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries in a fake mustache and sombrero; Jeffries described the meme as bigoted. The NAACP did not respond to an email seeking comment, nor did the White House or Rollins.

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9. N.S. court orders more detail in $10M illegal lobster lawsuit

A Nova Scotia court has ordered a commercial fishing group seeking $10 million in damages over alleged illegal lobster buying to name names and provide more details about its allegations.

The Unified Fisheries Conservation Alliance, representing thousands of independent, multi-species commercial fishers and associations across the Maritimes, filed the lawsuit in November 2024 against Independent Fisheries Ltd. and its president Xiaoming (Mark) Mao. The suit also names the owners and operators of Fisher Direct Ltd. and Seawell Holdings Ltd., both based in Shag Harbour, N.S. The alliance alleged the defendants took part in a conspiracy to transport, process and sell illegally caught lobster, diminishing stocks in St. Marys Bay in southwestern Nova Scotia and causing members $10 million in damages.

Lockeport-based Independent Fisheries and Mao argued the claims were too vague and asked the court to compel disclosure of the identities of all allegedly harmed harvesters, the names of all alleged conspirators, the dates and times of their alleged acts, and the facts supporting Mao's liability. A judge dismissed the motion in January, saying the defendants would have opportunities for disclosure and discovery as the case moved ahead.

The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal overturned most of that decision in an Oct. 15 ruling, saying the claims are too vague and prevent the defendants from understanding exactly what is alleged. "Are they facing one conspiracy or more?" wrote Justice Cindy A. Bourgeois for the three justices who heard the case. The court gave the alliance 30 days to provide particulars and said it must name all harvesters affected but not every member of the organization.

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10. AFC Toronto beats Ottawa Rapid 4-2 in NSL semifinal first leg

Kaylee Hunter scored two goals in leading AFC Toronto to a 4-2 victory over Ottawa Rapid FC in the first leg of their Northern Super League semifinal on Saturday. April Lantaigne and Lena Silano also scored for Toronto, which takes a two-goal aggregate lead into next Saturday's second leg in Ottawa.

Toronto looks to return to the final after falling in last year's inaugural title game to Vancouver. "It's an amazing feeling, but I think all of it came from the team," Hunter said. "We need to build off this momentum that we built and go into next week at 0-0."

Lantaigne opened the scoring in the 12th minute, sliding a shot in off a cross from inside the box from Hunter for her first professional goal. In the 26th minute, Hunter beat two defenders to the ball from goalkeeper Sabrina D'Angelo's kick downfield and fired it in from outside the box; it was D'Angelo's first assist in the NSL, and she also had three saves.

Silano made it 3-0 in the 55th minute on a rebound from a Hunter shot. Choo Hyo-joo got Ottawa on the board four minutes later off a feed from inside the box from Min-a Lee. Hunter got her brace in the 67th on a feed from Silano. Keera Melenhorst cut the deficit one minute into stoppage time, but it was too little, too late. "First half was outstanding, probably one of the best halves we played all year," Toronto head coach Marko Milanovic said.

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