Maple Express | Aug 31, 2026 Flood watch issued for Toronto as heavy rain hits region

Source: CP24

1. Flood watch issued for Toronto as heavy rain hits region

Toronto could see up to 50 millimetres of rain on Monday, with thunderstorms possible this afternoon. Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for the city, warning of between 30 and 50 millimetres of rainfall by this evening.

The national weather agency said some areas had already received up to 25 mm from the morning's rain, with another round of showers and embedded thunderstorms expected this afternoon and an additional 20 to 30 mm possible in some spots. Rainfall warnings "may be required" as the day progresses, with water likely to pool on roads and in low-lying areas.

The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) has issued a flood watch for the GTA, warning that river and stream water levels are high and the ground is already "very wet," and urging people to avoid rivers, streams and shorelines. CP24 meteorologist Bill Coulter advised keeping an umbrella handy, with more rain expected Tuesday and Wednesday before conditions clear ahead of the long weekend.

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2. Three federal byelections are happening today

OTTAWA — Voters in three federal ridings are casting ballots today, with the Liberals' slim majority once again in the balance. The byelections in Chicoutimi–Le Fjord, Que., Beaches–East York, Ont. and North Vancouver–Capilano, B.C. are taking place amid an increasingly acrimonious trade war with the United States.

The governing Liberals currently hold 170 seats and need 172 to keep their majority government. According to Elections Canada, about 39,500 people have already voted in advance polls across the three ridings.

In Chicoutimi–Le Fjord, Conservative Richard Martel vacated the seat after being appointed to the Senate early last month; he narrowly won in 2025 with 34.1 per cent of the vote. Beaches–East York is widely considered a Liberal stronghold, vacated when Nate Erskine-Smith resigned last month. North Vancouver–Capilano has been held by the Liberals since 2015 and will replace Jonathan Wilkinson, who resigned after being named ambassador to the European Union.

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3. Carney government asks court to quash lawsuit over emission targets

OTTAWA — The federal government is asking a Federal Court judge to toss out a lawsuit accusing Ottawa of having no intention of meeting its 2030 greenhouse gas emissions target. Government lawyers argued the Federal Court does not have the power to order the government to take steps to meet its emissions targets.

The government also argued it was not up to the court to "opine on the political and policy issues" at the heart of the lawsuit, writing that "accountability... lies with Parliament, not with the Court."

In June, a group of climate advocates — including Environmental Defence, the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and activists Marie Maltais, Sophia Mathur and Shirley Barnea — filed the lawsuit, arguing recent policy changes have knocked Ottawa off its track to meet Canada's legislated emissions reduction targets. They asked the court to order the government to bring its 2030 plan into compliance with the Net-Zero Accountability Act, or to declare the plan unlawful.

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4. Toronto police issue over 300 tickets to micro-mobility riders, over 1,200 for vehicles in bike lanes

Toronto police say they have issued more than 1,200 tickets for vehicles parked in bike lanes and more than 300 tickets to micro-mobility device riders during a two-week educational blitz. In a press release Monday, police announced the results of the campaign, which focused on education for riders of e-scooters, e-bikes and other micro-mobility devices.

The campaign ran from Aug. 10 to Aug. 24. While focused on education, officers handed out a total of 324 tickets and additional warnings for violations including illegal sidewalk riding, travelling the wrong way in cycle tracks, illegal e-moped use in cycle tracks, and vehicles blocking bike lanes.

Police say officers will continue to enforce micro-mobility offences across the city, reminding everyone using Toronto's roads, sidewalks and cycling infrastructure that safety is a shared responsibility.

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5. Federal byelection for Toronto's Beaches–East York riding held Monday

TORONTO — Voters are heading to the polls today in the Liberal stronghold of Beaches–East York. It is one of three federal byelections being held today to fill recently vacated seats in Parliament.

Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith resigned the seat last month after running an unsuccessful campaign for the Ontario Liberal nomination in the provincial riding of Scarborough Southwest. He has since announced he is running for Toronto city council.

For the Toronto riding, voting begins at 9:30 a.m. and polls are scheduled to close at 9:30 p.m. The other votes are being held in Chicoutimi–Le Fjord, Que., and North Vancouver–Capilano, B.C.

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6. Disbarred Brampton lawyer charged in alleged $4.5-million mortgage fraud

A disbarred Brampton, Ont., lawyer has been charged in connection with a $4.5-million mortgage and cheque fraud, and police say there may be additional victims. Investigators began looking into Pawanjeet Singh Mann the month after his licence was revoked by the Law Society Tribunal of Ontario in July 2025.

The tribunal found that Mann, who operated the PJ Mann Law Professional Corporation, knowingly participated in a mortgage fraud scheme in late 2019. Investigators revealed that between June and July 2025 they received multiple complaints alleging Mann "orchestrated" four separate mortgage and cheque fraud schemes, resulting in approximately $4.3 million in losses to victims.

Mann was arrested on Aug. 21 and charged with four counts each of fraud over $5,000 and possession of property obtained by crime, along with three counts of criminal breach of trust and two counts of uttering forged documents. Peel Regional Police Deputy Chief Nick Milinovich called the allegations "a profound breach of trust."

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7. 'People's festival' no more? TIFF fans grapple with ticket price hikes

TORONTO — When Arjun Singh first started attending the Toronto International Film Festival in 2022, he remembers buying tickets to the world premiere of "The Woman King" for about $50 each. This year, he saw balcony seats at similar premium screenings selling for as much as $106.

It marked the first time in recent memory that films other than the opening and closing night galas cracked the $100 mark. Fans reported tickets to premieres of anticipated films such as "Fjord," "Prima Facie" and the Ryan Gosling-produced "Love of Your Life" going for as much as $106, with some first-row seats selling for $128, compared with up to $98 last year.

TIFF did not respond to multiple requests for comment on ticket pricing. Some diehards are rethinking how many premieres they attend, while others worry about being priced out of an event once nicknamed "the people's festival." Charlie Keil, a professor at the Cinema Studies Institute at the University of Toronto, said TIFF is likely raising prices both because it can and because it needs to.

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8. Ontario's new cash bail rules on hold: judge

Ontario's new cash bail rules will be suspended while a court case on whether they are consistent with Canada's constitution is decided, an Ontario Superior Court justice ruled Monday. Justice William Chalmers said he was willing to grant an injunction against the rules created by the Keeping Criminals Behind Bars Act.

"An impact on the liberty of presumed innocent individuals is irreparable harm," Chalmers said in his ruling, quoting a Canadian Supreme Court judge that "liberty lost is never regained."

The rules, which came into effect two weeks ago, require someone granted bail to produce the money within two days of being released. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the Criminal Lawyers Association challenged the rules the same day they came into force, arguing a cash deposit up front would lead to different rules for the rich and the poor.

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9. Laurentian Bank expects to close deal with Fairstone and National Bank on Nov. 1

MONTREAL — Laurentian Bank of Canada says it expects to close its deal to be acquired by Fairstone Bank of Canada, with National Bank taking over its retail and small- and medium-sized banking portfolios, on Nov. 1.

The bank announced the date, which is still subject to conditions, after the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization and the relevant securities regulators approved the deal. Laurentian said the sign-off was the final key regulatory approval needed to complete the transaction.

Under the agreement announced last year, Fairstone is buying Laurentian Bank and its commercial operations for $1.9 billion, while its retail and small- and medium-sized banking portfolios are being acquired by National Bank. The bank says the three parties will work closely together to ensure a smooth transition for customers.

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10. Champagne to meet U.S. counterpart Bessent at G20 ministers' meeting

OTTAWA — Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne is set to meet with his U.S. counterpart on the sidelines of the G20 finance ministers' meetings in North Carolina this week. Champagne is in Asheville, N.C., from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1, with central bank heads including Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem also attending.

Champagne's spokesperson John Fragos confirmed in a media statement Monday that the minister will meet with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. It is believed to be the first face-to-face meeting between high-ranking Canadian and U.S. officials since trade talks broke down 10 days ago and gave way to an escalating tariff fight.

Washington has imposed 50 per cent tariffs on $28 billion worth of Canadian goods starting Aug. 22, while Ottawa has its own list of U.S. imports subject to varying tariff levels starting Sept. 8. Bessent confirmed the meeting Monday on CNBC, saying "We're not at war with Canada."

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