Maple Express | August 13, 2026 Power Restored to Tens of Thousands in Downtown Toronto and the East End

1. Power restored to tens of thousands in downtown Toronto and the east end

A widespread outage left tens of thousands in downtown Toronto and the east end without power for several hours Wednesday evening, affecting areas including Regent Park, Cabbagetown and the Distillery District, as well as Riverdale, Leslieville, Port Lands, East York and Thorncliffe Park. At its peak, roughly 31,000 Toronto Hydro customers were in the dark.

Toronto Hydro said the outage was caused by a "Hydro One loss of power supply" while maintenance work was underway at the Basin Transformer Station. Power was fully restored by 10:30 p.m., and Toronto Hydro apologized for the disruption, thanking customers for their patience.

2. Roads closed in St. James Town for police investigation

There is a heavy police presence near Bloor and Sherbourne streets Thursday morning as officers investigate an incident that unfolded overnight in Toronto's St. James Town neighbourhood.

Police have not yet released details about what happened, but police tape has sectioned off part of the street and an e-bike appeared to have been left lying on the roadway. Bloor Street is currently closed in both directions between Sherbourne and Parliament streets, and drivers are being asked to find alternate routes.

3. North York Metro converts to Food Basics, worrying staff

A Metro grocery store at 20 Church Ave., near Yonge Street and Finch Avenue in North York, closed its doors this week and is expected to reopen as a Food Basics in October. Metro said a discount store is better suited to meet customer needs in the area.

Unifor Local 414, which represents the workers, says about 60 full-time and part-time employees were affected, and many were unable to secure full-time hours at the new location, downgrading their wages, hours and benefits. The union described the decision as "very disheartening," saying workers were "pretty shocked" by the conversion.

4. GTA thunderstorm warnings lifted, clearing ahead

Thunderstorms rolled into the Greater Toronto Area on Wednesday, bringing heavy rainfall and strong winds. Environment Canada issued watches and warnings, advising of "toonie-sized" hail.

All weather advisories were lifted Wednesday night. Thursday is expected to be sunny with a high of 28 C, while Friday may bring brief light showers and a high of 24 C. Saturday looks mainly sunny at 25 C, with showers returning Sunday afternoon and a mainly sunny, warm start to next week.

5. Man arrested for alleged drug trafficking in Scarborough

Toronto police arrested a man Monday afternoon in Scarborough after officers, responding to community complaints about drug activity, observed him allegedly trafficking drugs in the area of Morningside Avenue and Lawrence Avenue East.

Police say they seized crystal methamphetamine, fentanyl, crack cocaine and an unspecified amount of cash. Anwar Yosofi, 36, of Toronto, faces three counts of possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking and one count of possession of proceeds of crime under $5,000. The allegations have not been proven in court.

6. Peel police unveil first-ever law enforcement helicopter

Peel Regional Police this week unveiled the force's first-ever law enforcement helicopter, one of seven the province is purchasing for law enforcement agencies.

The helicopter will be used for aerial patrol and to support ground officers, enhancing enforcement and emergency response across Peel Region.

7. Oakville pauses new data centres amid AI buildout

Oakville has become the first municipality in Ontario to impose a moratorium on new data centres, enacting a one-year freeze. Mayor Rob Burton said the move is not driven by fear, but by the need to study potential noise, vibration, emissions and land-use impacts.

Neighbouring Mississauga is set to vote next month on its own data centre freeze, while other Ontario municipalities weigh guardrails for new developments. Developer Hive Digital Technologies previously announced plans for a 320-megawatt AI facility in the Greater Toronto Area targeted for the second half of 2027.

8. Ontario invests nearly $11M in health-care training

The Ontario government announced Wednesday it will invest $10.9 million in training programs for nurses and other health-care professions as part of the Skills Development Fund.

Labour Minister David Piccini said the funding, announced at Centenary Hospital in Scarborough, will support 10 health-care projects for nearly 2,000 workers and jobseekers, focusing on nurses, personal support workers, medical laboratory technologists and other critical occupations. The Scarborough Health Network will receive about $2.2 million to train 110 people.

9. Costco recalls Greek Gods yogurt over possible mould

Costco Canada is warning shoppers about a recall involving certain yogurt products that may contain mould. The recall affects The Greek Gods Honey Yogurt and Organic Yogurt Plain, both sold in two 650-gram containers.

The products, recalled by Hain Celestial, may have been purchased at Costco warehouses or business centres between June and August 2026. The Honey Yogurt carries best-before dates from Aug. 1 to Sept. 15, while the Organic Yogurt Plain ranges from Aug. 9 to Sept. 13. Costco urges customers not to consume the yogurt and says it can be returned to any warehouse for a full refund.

10. Air Canada sells 25% of Aeroplan for $2.5 billion

Air Canada announced Wednesday it will sell a quarter of its Aeroplan loyalty program to Blackstone and a trio of Canadian pension funds for $2.5 billion to bolster its balance sheet.

The airline's stock jumped 12 per cent to close at $30.61 on the Toronto Stock Exchange, its highest level since early 2020. Air Canada says it will maintain full control of Aeroplan's day-to-day operations and that member points rules will not change. Proceeds will be used to repay $1.7 billion in bonds and buy back up to $800 million in shares.