Preston Pablo wows crowd with Timmins concert
Northern Ontario Watch
Canadian pop star Preston Pablo returned to Timmins to give his hometown a concert.
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CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Get ready to soar at Thunder Bay's Kite Festival this weekend
The annual Kite Festival in Thunder Bay, Ont., is back this weekend at Chippewa Park. The event features special kite flying areas, amusement rides, artisans, food vendors and more. The CBC's Matt Fratpietro met up with Karen Kadolph, the city's special events developer, to find out more — and to give one of the kites a test flight.
Globe and Mail
an hour ago
- Globe and Mail
The party's over on CaféTO even if it isn't the main cause of congestion
Here's a riddle: What looks like the long lines of dirt and timber, protected by felled trees with sharpened branches, that General Ulysses S. Grant's Union troops charged at Cold Harbor in June 1864? What is so ugly that if you stuck it in an art gallery and placed a sign in front entitled 'Poor Choices' you'd win the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale? What would make a nice addition to the Do Lung Bridge, the remote American outpost portrayed in Francis Ford Coppola's masterpiece Apocalypse Now, that is destroyed every night and rebuilt every day? What may not be the main cause of traffic congestion but significantly exacerbates it none the less? If you answered a 'CaféTO curb lane patio' to every question, you'd be correct. Yes, the Great Canadian curb lane patio – more evidence that there is no pleasurable activity that Canada (the country that put the 'un' in 'fun') cannot spoil. In theory, Canada's myriad levels of government want its citizens to experience pleasure. In practice, it hates seeing them do it. The result? Canada takes activities that other countries enjoy effortlessly and dilutes them through a finely tuned system of bureaucracy and puritanism. Alcohol? Check. Cannabis? Check. Casinos where you can't get comped alcoholic drinks? Check. The message is simple, 'You can enjoy yourself, just don't have fun doing it.' Curb lane patios are another shimmering example. Introduced in 2020 as a response to the economic damage wrought by COVID-19, cities inaugurated programs such as Toronto's CaféTO and Vancouver's 'Pop-up Patios.' These opened streets to impromptu patios in a desperate attempt to entice customers back to restaurants. They were embraced by a public reeling from COVID cabin fever. Traffic was light because no one was driving to the office and the creation of thousands of little bottlenecks did not have a significant impact. They made the program an annual event. It runs each year from May 1 to October 15. Now the party's over. Congestion is horrific. No one can argue that CaféTO curb lane patios are the main cause of traffic congestion. Nor can anyone deny that the patios make it worse. Curb lane patios occupying live traffic lanes increase congestion, particularly if they are placed on major arterial roads. In February, the Toronto Board of Trade released a report on congestion called 'Breaking Gridlock.' The paper argued that 'CaféTO curb lane patios should be reviewed based upon the impact they have on circulating traffic, especially on major arterial roadways serving dedicated connectors.' The report was derided as being 'car centric.' Curb lane café proponents believe the congestion is worth the upside. Last year, 1,500 establishments participated in CaféTO: 304 of these were curb lane cafés. Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas says they generated $130-million in economic benefits, down from $204-million in 2022. Curb lane café enthusiasts like to hail them as being 'European.' To these folks, I reply, 'We already have problems with the Americans, there is no point getting the Europeans angry at us too.' Canadian curb lane cafes are many things but 'European' is not among them. Aside from their breathtaking ugliness, CaféTO curb lane patios are far from Rome's cobbled streets or the grand boulevards of Paris. Entrees are served with exhaust fumes. Traffic is noisy and angry. Forget soft music; curb lane café meals are accompanied by a symphony of car alarms. Last summer there was a CaféTO curb lane on Yonge Street south of Richmond Street. It caused terrible bottlenecks and for what? So that customers could suck carbon dioxide, inches from traffic, while watching suffering people sprawled out on the sidewalk in front of Goodlife Fitness? C'est magnifique! Do not, however, imagine that Europeans universally embraced curb lane patios when they were introduced. In 2021, for example, Bloomberg reported that Rome 'inadvertently ignited a fierce battle for the city's streets' when it allowed cafés and restaurants to set up outdoor seating in public areas. Drivers in a city with the 'highest motorization rate in Europe' were infuriated. So, Canadians who are fed up with curb lane cafés are not alone. Is there a solution? Absolutely. Well-funded public transit paid for by congestion pricing and toll roads would solve congestion problems. Unfortunately, that will never happen in Canada. Our frustration over traffic congestion is only surpassed by our steadfast refusal to do anything about it. We are proud CARNADIANS! Here's a thought: If car congestion is the problem, maybe the best way to alleviate it is to get rid of the cars. Don't they cause the congestion? When my bathroom drain is clogged, I don't clear it by pouring in more gloop. Instead of eliminating curb lane patios, let's get rid of the cars. Let's build pedestrian zones filled with bustling cafés and restaurants, where children can play without fear of being struck by an automobile. Skeptics may ask, 'Won't that cause more congestion?' No, because everyone who used to be in cars will be enjoying themselves having a gelato or aperitivo instead of driving. That's European. On second thought, forget it. Let's do nothing and blame the government. That's the Canadian way!
CTV News
5 hours ago
- CTV News
Suspect arrested after car crashes into Cirque du Soleil venue in East Vancouver
A car crashed into the entrance to Pacific Coliseum in East Vancouver during a Cirque du Soleil performance on June 5, 2025. (Credit: Mike Roberts) A suspect was arrested after allegedly crashing a car into a venue in East Vancouver during a Cirque du Soleil performance Thursday evening. Few details have been confirmed, but the Vancouver Police Department said the incident does not appear to be an act of terrorism. 'The driver was apprehended under the Mental Health Act,' the VPD said in a brief social media statement. There have been no reports of injuries. The vehicle slammed into the entrance of Pacific Coliseum around 8 p.m., approximately one hour after a performance of Cirque du Soleil: Crystal had begun. Witness Mike Roberts was at the show and said he heard a loud bang that he initially assumed was part of the act. Roberts told CTV News he quickly got up out of his seat after seeing 'a small piece of the vehicle' had landed near his feet. 'Went behind the curtains and from there saw the car that was sitting inside, or partially inside the Coliseum doors,' he said. Security apprehended the driver – identified as a 30-year-old Vancouver resident – until police arrived on the scene. Roberts said he briefly saw officers hogtie the suspect. The witness told CTV News the incident was particularly alarming coming weeks after the Lapu-Lapu Day attack on April 26, which left 11 people dead and dozens of others injured. While many details of the crash remain unknown, 'Your mind is going to go there,' Roberts said. The Cirque du Soleil show ultimately finished following an extended intermission. With files from CTV News Vancouver's Kevin Charach
