Author: Sophie Mitchell

Toronto queer BIPOC rock artist releases first single as part of long-awaited album project Toronto-based rock artist Feura has released her debut single “Lose Your Head,” marking the arrival of a new voice in Canada’s independent rock scene with a track that confronts identity, exclusion, and social pressure head-on. The single, released Friday, was funded through support from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Toronto Arts Council. Written by Korol Pikulik, Alexandra Jelilyan, and Marc Koecher, the song was produced by Illegal Audio, the production partnership of Marc Koecher and Lexie Jay, and mastered by Kristian Montano. Feura,…

Funding Expansion Supports More Than 400 Programs Across Ontario The Ontario government is investing $22.8 million in Seniors Active Living Centre (SALC) programs as the province marks 60 years of supporting services aimed at helping older adults remain active, healthy and socially connected in their communities. The funding announcement was made Friday at Life After Fifty in Windsor, one of Ontario’s earliest active living centres, and comes ahead of Seniors Month celebrations across the province in June. According to the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility, the investment will support more than 400 SALC programs provincewide, continuing Ontario’s efforts to expand…

Local Emerging Artists to Perform Across 14 Festival Nights at Del Crary Park Peterborough Musicfest and Cogeco are expanding the Future Sound Series for the 2026 festival season, increasing the number of performances featuring emerging local artists as the long-running Ontario music festival continues to invest in regional talent development and community-based live entertainment. The expanded initiative will feature performances on 14 of the festival’s 16 concert nights this summer at Del Crary Park in Peterborough, Ont., providing artists from Peterborough and the Kawarthas with greater exposure ahead of the festival’s mainstage headlining acts. The Future Sound Series, which debuted…

Canadian Music Icon to Perform Across Canada and the United States Canadian singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn is set to embark on an extensive North American tour in 2026, marking one of the veteran artist’s most significant live runs in recent years as he prepares to release a new studio album next fall. The Ottawa-born musician, whose career spans more than five decades, will perform across Canada and the United States beginning in July, with stops scheduled in major cultural venues including Toronto’s Massey Hall, Ottawa’s National Arts Centre and Montréal’s Gesù Salle. The tour announcement comes as Cockburn works toward the…

New Research Highlights $102 Billion Economic and Social Value of Public Housing Investment A coalition of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area’s largest public housing providers will join executives from Scotiabank on June 1 to launch a major new report examining the economic and social impact of public housing investment across the region. The report, titled Public Housing Dividend, presents findings that strategic investment in public housing infrastructure across the GTHA could generate more than $102 billion in long-term economic, health, and community value. The launch event will take place Monday at the Scotiabank Centre in downtown Toronto and will…

Proceedings Scheduled to Begin June 15 Through Video Conference The Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General has announced that an inquest into the death of Ethan Dawichuk will begin next month, more than four years after the 23-year-old died while in custody at the Toronto East Detention Centre. Dr. Jennifer M. Dmetrichuk, Regional Supervising Coroner for the Toronto Region and Toronto East Office, confirmed that the inquest is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, June 15, 2026. The proceedings will be overseen by Dr. David Eden, who will serve as the presiding officer, while Robert Kozak has been…

SRD encourages residents to share accessibility feedback while advancing inclusive community initiatives across the region Campbell River, British Columbia — May 28, 2026 The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) is recognizing National AccessAbility Week 2026 with a renewed commitment to improving accessibility and inclusion across the region through community engagement, infrastructure upgrades, and public awareness initiatives. National AccessAbility Week (NAAW), observed from May 31 to June 6, highlights the contributions of persons with disabilities while promoting efforts to remove barriers that limit participation in community life. The annual observance is recognized by communities and organizations across Canada as an opportunity to…

Inquest to examine deaths that occurred while men were in custody or after transfer to hospital The Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario has scheduled an inquest into the deaths of five men who died while in custody at, or after being transferred to hospital from, the Maplehurst Correctional Complex in Milton. Dr. Kenneth Peckham, Regional Supervising Coroner for the Central West Region, announced that the inquest will begin on June 8, 2026, and will be conducted by video conference. The proceedings will examine the deaths of Levi Brown, David Nakoneshny, Stefan Ryan, Rahul Saini and Lovepreet Singh, all…

Province says new facility will improve emergency care access for more than 70,000 patients annually TORONTO — The Ontario government has officially opened a new ambulatory care centre at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, part of a broader provincial effort to expand hospital capacity and modernize health-care infrastructure across Ontario. The new care centre, located within the hospital’s emergency department, was created through the renovation of the historic Shuter Wing and supported by a provincial investment of $204 million. According to the Ministry of Health, the expanded facility is expected to serve more than 70,000 walk-in patients annually while helping…

City to Host June 2 Dialogue Session With Industry, Government and Community Leaders The City of Prince Albert is bringing together representatives from across the housing sector and broader community as it works to address growing housing pressures and long-term development needs identified in a recent assessment. City officials announced that a community dialogue session will take place on June 2, 2026, inviting stakeholders from business, finance, faith organizations, housing providers and multiple levels of government to help shape the municipality’s draft Housing Strategy and Action Plan. The meeting is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Margo…